Cho Kuk, Park Hyung-jun on LCT Suspicion: "What If I Paid Extra to Buy My Son's Apartment?"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk mentioned the 'LCT apartment purchase suspicion' involving Park Hyung-jun, the People Power Party candidate for Busan mayor, asking, "What would have happened if such a thing had been confirmed about me?"

On the 18th, former Minister Cho shared on his Facebook an article by SBS claiming that "the person who bought the LCT apartment was none other than Mr. Park's wife’s son."

According to the SBS report, on April 10 last year, Mrs. Park purchased the controversial LCT apartment from her son, Choi, by paying an extra 100 million won. Choi is the son Mrs. Park had with her ex-husband, and on the initial subscription date, October 28, 2015, he bought the apartment from Mr. Lee, who held the pre-sale rights, by paying an additional 7 million won.

Previously, candidate Park claimed that this suspicion was not a "preferential sale" but a "normal transaction."

A post by former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk on Facebook on the 18th./Photo by former Minister Cho Kuk's Facebook capture

In response, former Minister Cho asked, "If I had a stepson born in 1981, and this son had purchased a luxury apartment’s royal floor from an unidentified person by paying only an extra 7 million won, and later I had bought it back from this son by paying an additional 100 million won, what would have happened?" This seems to be an indirect criticism of the various past reports surrounding former Minister Cho’s family.

Meanwhile, on the 19th, candidate Park explained that while it is true his wife bought the apartment from their son, there was no illegality, corruption, or preferential treatment involved.

At a press conference held at the Busan campaign office briefing room that day, candidate Park explained, "The final deadline for my son to move into the LCT was May 1, 2019, but the real estate had not been sold by then, so there was a risk of losses from the deposit and accumulated interest," adding, "Therefore, the mother took over the house."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.