Yongsan Residence Construction Supervisor, Former Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: "Don't Remember the 21 Gram Referrer... It's Not Mrs. Kim Geon-hee" [2024 National Audit]

Former Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Oh-jin Kim. Photo by Yongjun Cho jun21@

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Kim Oh-jin, former Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (then Presidential Management Secretary), who oversaw the construction of the presidential residence embroiled in allegations of illegal extension, said he "does not remember" who recommended 21gram, the company that won the contract for the residence construction, but added, "There is no fact that First Lady Kim Keon-hee recommended it."

The core of the illegal extension allegations at the presidential residence is that 21gram, an interior company without a general construction license, won the presidential residence construction contract through a connection with First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

At the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s National Assembly audit held at the Government Sejong Complex on the 7th, Progressive Party lawmaker Yoon Jong-oh and Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Jong-gun asked, "Do you still not remember who recommended 21gram as you answered in the Board of Audit and Inspection investigation?" Kim, the former vice minister, replied, "I regret that I cannot tell because I do not remember."

He added, "I received recommendations for the residence construction company through various channels and many people, so I cannot remember each one individually." He continued, "Since it was the early days of the transition team, the TF had many tasks," and said, "Moving the office was a more urgent priority, so although the residence was important, it was a lower priority."

Regarding opposition lawmakers’ questions about whether Kim reported to the First Lady about the residence extension construction, Kim said, "I cannot say whether I reported or not."

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