The second Comprehensive Special Counsel team, established to supplement the three existing special counsel investigations into insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and the Marine corporal's death, has launched compulsory investigations into former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Dae-gi, former Presidential Office General Affairs Secretary Yoon Jae-soon, and others in connection with allegations surrounding the presidential residence relocation.
Special Counsel Deputy Kim Ji-mi said at a briefing held Monday at the second Comprehensive Special Counsel team's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, "We are conducting search and seizure operations at the residences of former Chief of Staff Kim and former General Affairs Secretary Yoon, as well as at the Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety." Travel bans have also been imposed on both individuals.
"In relation to the presidential residence renovation, an unqualified company submitted cost estimates without blueprints or other objective documentation and requested payment of construction costs from the state," Kim said. "We have confirmed illegal circumstances in which budget verification and correction procedures were skipped, and administrative ministry budgets were disbursed on orders from the Presidential Office."
The core of the residence relocation favoritism allegations is that a company called "21 Gram," which lacked a general construction license, received no-bid contracts for the Presidential Office and residence relocation and expansion work after former President Yoon took office. 21 Gram had previously sponsored exhibitions held by Cobana Contents, a company run by first lady Kim Keon-hee, and had handled its office design and construction. Allegations have been raised that the company secured the residence contracts through the first lady's influence. Another company had originally been set to handle the work immediately after former President Yoon's election in 2022, but the contractor was abruptly changed to 21 Gram around May of that year, according to the investigation.
The Comprehensive Special Counsel also announced that it carried out a search and seizure operation the same day targeting a person surnamed Yang, who served as a personal aide to former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.
Yang is suspected of destroying a laptop used by former Minister Kim on December 5, 2024, after the emergency martial law was lifted. The special counsel reportedly conducted the compulsory investigation to determine the whereabouts of the laptop believed to have been destroyed at the time.