Apartment Tenant Kim Sang-jo Summoned by Police Over Controversy on Jeonse Price Increase

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] The police investigating allegations that former Blue House Policy Chief Kim Sang-jo excessively raised the jeonse deposit of an apartment just before the implementation of the Three Lease Laws recently summoned a tenant of the apartment for questioning.

According to the police and multiple media reports on the 17th, the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency recently summoned tenant A, who rented the apartment from former Chief Kim, as a witness. It is known that they investigated the circumstances under which A renewed the jeonse contract at the increased price.

Former Chief Kim, who was in charge of overseeing government policies at the time, was found to have raised the jeonse deposit of his apartment in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, which he owns, by 14.1% last year. This occurred just before the implementation of the Three Lease Laws, which limit rent increases to 5%.

In response, a civic group accused former Chief Kim of attempting to evade the application of the jeonse price ceiling by using confidential information obtained through his official duties and reported him to the National Police Agency’s Criminal Investigation Headquarters. Earlier this month, the Criminal Investigation Headquarters assigned the case to the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Meanwhile, the schedule for summoning former Chief Kim for questioning has not yet been decided.

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