Han Deok-su: "No Special Privileges for Monthly Rent Resident Mobil Co... Buyeong, Related to 'Wife's Painting Sale,' None"

National Assembly Confirmation Hearing

Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo is responding to lawmakers' questions at the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on May 2, 2022. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Son Seon-hee] Prime Minister nominee Han Deok-su denied all allegations on the 2nd regarding preferential treatment for the American company that rented his former residence for a large monthly rent and the connection to Booyoung, a domestic company that purchased his spouse's paintings.

At the National Assembly confirmation hearing that day, Han dismissed the question from Kim Hoe-jae of the Democratic Party of Korea, who asked, "Did the company that moved in as a tenant at the nominee's house receive preferential treatment?" as "absurd and groundless."

Han had rented out a house located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from 1989 for about 10 years to the American telecommunications company AT&T and Mobil Oil Korea, a subsidiary of the American global oil company Mobil. It is understood that the rent received during this period amounted to 620 million KRW. It is known that about 8 million KRW was received monthly, which was a large amount far exceeding the annual salary at the time, considering that the salary of a public official at the assistant director level was about 480,000 KRW.

Later, the suspicion arose that there might be a conflict of interest between Han and Mobil when the company participated in an overseas natural gas development project led by the Korea National Oil Corporation in 1996.

Regarding this, Han rebutted, "I have never given preferential treatment to those companies or met with the responsible persons of related companies," and added, "I remember paying comprehensive income tax thoroughly on the income at that time."

Regarding the excessively high rent, Han said, "That was the amount they offered, and I did not negotiate," and "It was according to the conditions they proposed." He strongly denied, saying, "I did not even know who was renting, and if I had given preferential treatment based on their activities in Korea later, I would have already been fired or imprisoned."

Additionally, the Democratic Party raised suspicions that Booyoung Housing purchased paintings by Han's wife, artist Choi Ah-young, at a high price and that Han helped the company enter the U.S. market.

Booyoung Housing bought three paintings at Choi's solo exhibition in 2012 for 23 million KRW using corporate funds. Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Dong-geun pointed out that Choi's cousin, Jeon, had worked as the head of Booyoung Housing's U.S. branch since 2007, speculating that this was the reason for the painting purchase. At that time, Han served as the ambassador to the U.S.

In response to Shin's allegations, Han said, "I had no contact with Booyoung Housing," and regarding Booyoung's entry into the U.S., he said, "If requested, I could help, but Booyoung Housing has never made such a request." He also stated about his wife's cousin Jeon, "He has now resigned from the position."

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