Hasty Yongsan relocation sparks corruption allegations

According to prosecutors, a senior official from the Presidential Security Service, identified as Mr. Jeong, is under investigation for allegedly authorizing renovation work on the official residence of the Security Service chief without following proper contract procedures. The renovations took place in May and June 2022, even though a budget had not been secured. Mr. A, a contractor, was reportedly entrusted with the project without a formal contract, and the construction costs were later paid by another contractor, Mr. Kim. Mr. Kim, a long-time acquaintance of Mr. Jeong, had previously secured a 16.3 billion won contract to install bulletproof windows at the president's office. When Mr. Jeong pointed out defects in the work and demanded a complete replacement, Mr. Kim allegedly covered the 176 million won cost of renovating the Security Service chief’s residence on Jeong's behalf.

In October last year, the Board of Audit and Inspection referred both Mr. Kim and Mr. Jeong to prosecutors, accusing Kim of inflating the cost of the bulletproof window project by more than five times. Prosecutors have since uncovered additional allegations, including that Jeong awarded past construction projects for the private residences of former Presidents Moon Jae-in and Park Geun-hye to Mr. Kim, skimming around 100 million won from the payments and accepting around 70 million won in bribes.

During questioning, Jeong claimed that the rush to relocate the presidential office left him with little choice. The prosecution, however, contends that repairs to the residence were not urgent and questions remain as to why Jeong arranged for costs to be covered that offered no direct benefit to himself. President Yoon Suk Yeol, during his transition period, had initially promised to relocate the presidential office to Gwanghwamun. When those plans fell through, Yoon abruptly shifted the move to Yongsan, initially projecting the relocation cost at 50 billion won. However, by the end of last year, an additional 14 billion won had been spent. Beyond Jeong’s misconduct, the rushed relocation and insufficient budget planning are seen as contributing factors.

The tight timeline and inadequate contingency funds created fertile ground for corruption, particularly through private contracts. This underscores the urgent need for a more thorough investigation into the irregularities surrounding the office relocation, which could have significant implications for the public.