The second comprehensive special counsel, investigating remaining allegations after the three earlier special counsel probes, stated that it "confirmed attempted intervention by the presidential office under the Yoon Suk-yeol government" regarding the background of receiving the "witness persuasion allegation case" from prosecutors.
Special Counsel Aide Kwon Young-bin said at a regular briefing held at the special counsel team's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday, "In early last month, during the investigation into the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case, we confirmed circumstances of the Yoon government's presidential office attempting to intervene, and requested the case be transferred to the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Violation Task Force."
Kwon described the case as "a suspected 'mega-scale abuse of state power' by state authorities." He added, "Former President Yoon may have personally or at the government level received reports related to the case, and the cover-up, suppression, evidence destruction, and due process violations during the investigation may have been carried out not by individuals but by investigative agencies."
Regarding the scope of the investigation, Kwon said, "Specific private companies such as Ssangbangwool and the 'salmon drinking party' allegations that emerged during questioning are not included in the investigation targets." He explained, "The law clearly defines the scope as due process violations and other abuse of authority by investigative agencies, so the abuse of state power is both the target and purpose of the investigation."
The comprehensive special counsel had previously determined that this case — separate from the investigations by the three earlier special counsels — falls under Article 2, Paragraph 1, Item 13 of the Comprehensive Special Counsel Act and requested its transfer.
Article 2, Paragraph 1, Item 13 of the Comprehensive Special Counsel Act defines cases in which "Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee received reports on investigation progress related to their own or others' cases and caused cover-ups, suppression, witness persuasion, evidence fabrication, evidence concealment, and other due process violations and abuse of investigative agencies' authority regarding investigation and indictment procedures." This means the special counsel launched the probe based on the belief that the Yoon government may have intervened and attempted to persuade witnesses through prosecutors.
Regarding allegations related to the presidential residence, the special counsel detected additional circumstances of First Lady Kim Keon-hee receiving luxury goods and launched further compulsory investigations. Special Counsel Aide Kim Ji-mi said, "We confirmed circumstances in which Mrs. Kim additionally received luxury goods in connection with the presidential residence construction project," adding, "We conducted search and seizure operations at the related company's office and the CEO's residence." Specific details on the bribe provider, timing, and value were not disclosed.
The core of the presidential residence relocation favoritism allegations is that 21Gram, a company without a general construction license, received preferential treatment by winning private contracts for the presidential office and residence relocation and expansion projects after former President Yoon took office. 21Gram is the company that sponsored exhibitions by Kovana Contents, a firm run by Mrs. Kim, and handled the design and construction of its offices. Allegations were raised that the company secured the residence construction contract through Mrs. Kim's influence. Another company had originally been set to handle the construction shortly after Yoon's election in 2022, but the contractor was abruptly changed to 21Gram around May of that year, according to the investigation.
Mrs. Kim is currently standing trial on charges including conspiring with Jeon Seong-bae, known as "Geonjin Beopsa" (a Buddhist monk figure), between April and July 2022 to receive approximately 80 million won ($59,000) worth of valuables — including a Graff diamond necklace and Chanel bags — from Unification Church-affiliated individuals in exchange for requests for support for the religious group.