Yoon Hee-sook's Parents: "Bought Farmland While Looking for Investment Opportunities" "Thought It Would Be Useful If Developed"

"Purpose Was Farming" Contradicts Yoon Hee-sook's Claim

Farmland of Yoon Hee-sook, a member of the People Power Party, located in Sinbang-ri, Jeonui-myeon, Sejong City, on the 26th. Recently, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission judged that Yoon's father violated the Farmland Act and the Resident Registration Act in relation to purchasing 10,871㎡ of rice paddies in this area in 2016. /Photo by Yonhap News

The scene around Sinbang-ri, Jeonui-myeon, Sejong City, on the 26th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Yoon Heesook, a member of the People Power Party, whose father has been accused of real estate speculation, explained that her father purchased farmland in Sejong City for farming purposes. However, both Yoon's father and mother have revealed that they bought the farmland for investment purposes, escalating the controversy.

According to a JTBC report on the 26th, Yoon's father told reporters, "While looking for investment opportunities, I saw in the newspaper that a building was available. It had eight rooms. If I rented out the eight rooms, I could make a living. So I went to see it," stating that he accidentally came to know about the farmland while checking out an investment property.

He said, "If I buy the land, an industrial complex will be built, and a subway will come across it. I thought about farming, but as I farmed, I realized this could happen, and greed arose."

Yoon's father, however, said about the farmland purchase, "(My daughter) didn't know. Why would a father tell that?" He then explained that he tried to farm himself but found it difficult, so he leased it out.

Yoon's mother also said in an interview with CBS No Cut News on the same day, when asked about the circumstances of purchasing the land in Sejong City, "(My husband) said this land would be useful if developed in the future," and "Since the air is good, my husband bought the land to prepare a house to live in later."

When asked if she knew the area would be developed, she replied, "I looked at the land with innocent intentions," avoiding a detailed answer. While acknowledging the purpose was for residence or investment, her remarks are interpreted as denying suspicions such as 'whether they obtained development information in advance and speculated.'

However, Yoon stated at a press conference on the 25th regarding her father's farmland purchase, "My father acquired the farmland in 2016 with the hope of spending the rest of his life farming," but with her father and mother effectively admitting they had investment ambitions, the controversy is growing.

Yoon Hee-sook, a member of the People Power Party, whose father has been suspected of real estate speculation, is answering questions from reporters after holding a press conference to announce her resignation from the National Assembly at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Yoon's father bought 10,871㎡ (3,200 pyeong) of farmland in Sinbang-ri, Jeonui-myeon, Sejong City, in March 2016. However, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) conducted a full investigation of real estate transactions and judged that Yoon's father, who lives in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, not Sejong City, and apparently entrusted rice farming to local residents, might have violated the Farmland Act and the Resident Registration Act. The farmland, which was worth 800 million won at the time of purchase, has risen to 1.8 billion won in five years as various industrial complexes have been established nearby.

The ruling party raised suspicions that Yoon might have been involved in her father's farmland purchase by using internal information, citing that she worked at the Korea Development Institute (KDI) in Sejong City until 2016.

In response, Yoon denied the allegations in a statement posted on Facebook, saying, "I was not involved at all in my father's land purchase process, and I will transparently submit all materials if requested during the investigation."

She added, "Baseless speculation and false information are being spread indiscriminately about me, my family, and my former workplace, and I will respond strictly to any parts that are not true."

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