Kang Shin-chul: "I did not know about the special housing allocation for displaced residents... I only followed the government's compensation procedures"

[Financial News] Kang Shin-chul, nominee for Minister of National Defense, addressed various real estate allegations involving himself and his family on the 16th. Regarding the apartment he owns that was allocated under a special housing program for displaced residents, he said he did not even know about the program and had merely followed the government's compensation procedures. He also said it was difficult to intervene in every aspect of his child's financial activities concerning the purchase of a commercial property worth about 700 million won, while apologizing that the matter did not meet public expectations.
The National Defense Committee of the National Assembly held a plenary meeting at the National Assembly that day and conducted Kang's confirmation hearing.
Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party raised the issue, saying, "He said he first learned about the term 'special housing allocation for displaced residents' only after I mentioned it. Is it acceptable to begin a confirmation hearing with lies and perjury?"
Chun asked, "The applicant for the special housing allocation for displaced residents is listed as the nominee. Did the nominee not apply for it himself? The apartment unit type the nominee received through the demolition process was 100 percent eligible for the special housing allocation for displaced residents. He applied for it and actually received the allocation. Are you saying you knew nothing about applying under these procedures and being selected?"
Kang replied to Chun's question, "We believe it was carried out under the government's compensation procedures."
Chun then pointed out, "Didn't you know that this was compensation for the demolition? Not only the nominee, but also his father, older brother and paternal aunt all received special allocations and newly built apartments as compensation for demolition. Are you saying the nominee did not know about the special housing allocation for displaced residents?"
He continued, "The special housing allocation for displaced residents is a system for vulnerable people who have been displaced and have no other home to live in. There are additional requirements, including owning no other property and actually living there. But were the nominee or his father really in the same situation as genuine displaced residents? Isn't this shameful?"
Chun also raised suspicions that the alleged false address registration in Cheonwang-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul, was linked to the special housing allocation for displaced residents. He said, "Didn't you move your resident registration because you were told that you had to transfer it to Seoul to negotiate with the government and receive the special housing allocation for displaced residents? There is no other reason for it."
Kang responded, "It proceeded exactly as agreed in the government's negotiations with us, and I never discussed it with anyone. At the time, I was serving on the front line, and mobile phones did not work there."
The opposition's offensive continued over his son's purchase of a commercial property worth about 700 million won.
Sung Il-jong of the People Power Party asked Kang, "Your son had assets of only 70 million won, yet he bought a commercial property worth about 700 million won in Yangji Village in Bundang, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Did his parents not know about this investment?"
Kang said, "As a father, I find it difficult to interfere in every aspect of the financial life of a 30-year-old son." He added, "However, as a ministerial nominee, I sincerely apologize that this matter fell short of public expectations."
Sung lashed out, saying, "If you could not even manage your own child during the purchase of such an asset, how do you expect to manage a military unit? While people in their 20s and 30s are facing homelessness as rents soar and many do not even own a home, how can any citizen believe that the nominee, as the father, did not know that his son bought a commercial property worth 700 million won while pursuing an apartment presale right?"
He continued, "As Minister of National Defense, you would be in a position to lead an army of 500,000 personnel, including people in their teens, 20s and 30s. How can you command an army of 500,000 if you cannot even keep track of one son?"
[email protected] Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter