Nat'l Land Committee Issues Accompaniment Order to 21gram CEO Over 'Official Residence Contract Favoritism' Allegations [2024 Audit]

by Roh Kyungjo

Published 24 Oct.2024 16:34(KST)

The National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee issued a summons order led by the opposition party against three individuals, including Kim Tae-young, CEO of 21gram, who was selected as a witness for the national audit on the 24th but did not appear. The subjects of the summons order are CEO Kim, Lee Jae-seon of Wontop General Construction, and Jeon Hae-gap of Awon Gotaek.

Moon Jin-seok, a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the execution of the accompaniment order for Kim Tae-young, a witness in the national audit related to the presidential residence expansion construction, in front of the 21gram office in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 24th, and is stating his position. / Photo by Yonhap News

21gram is a sponsor company of Kobana Contents, an exhibition planning company operated by Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Seok-yeol, and is under suspicion of preferential treatment for securing the Yongsan Presidential Residence expansion project through a private contract.

Moon Jin-seok, a Democratic Party member and opposition party secretary, requested Land Committee Chairman Maeng Seong-gyu during the morning audit session to allow lawmakers to personally visit CEO Kim and others to execute the summons order. Moon said, "It is not proper for only administrative staff from the executive branch to carry out the summons order. Committee members who can go should go together."

In response, the ruling party opposed this, stating that according to the National Assembly Act, it is appropriate for National Assembly Secretariat officials to execute the summons order after waiting until the scheduled witness appearance time (4 p.m.). Kwon Young-jin, a People Power Party member and ruling party secretary, argued, "We do not know yet whether the witness will appear or not, so there is no reason to issue a summons order by adjourning the precious audit time." Kim Do-eup, also from the same party, pointed out, "Democratic Party lawmakers say it is proper to go together, but propriety and law should be distinguished."

As loud exchanges occurred between the ruling and opposition parties, Chairman Maeng declared an adjournment and then held a meeting to approve the issuance of the summons order. To execute the summons order, the Land Committee audit resumed at 2 p.m. that day.