Yoon Han-hong: "Office relocation cost is less than 50 billion won... Claiming 1 trillion reminds me of mad cow disease"

"4.7 Trillion Won Used for Gyeonggi Provincial Office Relocation During Governor Lee Jae-myung's Term"
"No Move-in Issues on Inauguration Day if Current Government Cooperates"
"Yongsan Was a Candidate Site but Gwanghwamun Preferred"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunji Kwon] Yoon Han-hong, head of the Blue House relocation task force under the Presidential Transition Committee and a member of the People Power Party, dismissed the Democratic Party's claim on the 21st that the cost of moving the presidential office to Yongsan amounts to 1 trillion won.

On the same day, Yoon appeared on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ and responded to the Democratic Party’s claim of “1 trillion won for office relocation” by saying, “They say the relocation project, which costs less than 50 billion won, costs 1 trillion won, which reminds me of mad cow disease,” adding, “When Lee Jae-myung was governor of Gyeonggi Province, relocating the Gyeonggi Provincial Office cost 470.8 billion won. This is an absurd claim.” President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol held a press conference the day before and cited Ministry of Economy and Finance data, stating that the estimated cost of the office relocation is 49.6 billion won. Regarding the Ministry of National Defense’s estimate of 500 billion won, he said, “If you give me 500 billion won, I will spend within 50 billion won and return 450 billion won,” and firmly stated, “I only applied for 49.6 billion won in contingency funds.”

Regarding the allocation of contingency funds, he urged cooperation from the Moon Jae-in administration. Yoon said, “If the current government actively cooperates, I think there will be no major problems moving into the Ministry of National Defense building on May 10,” adding, “The purpose of operating the transition committee is to ensure a smooth handover so that the next government can start working immediately from the day of inauguration. This is part of that process.” According to the ‘Act on Presidential Transition,’ the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety must cooperate in securing the transition committee’s budget.

On the sudden shift from Gwanghwamun to Yongsan, Yoon said, “(At the time of announcing the Gwanghwamun pledge) Yongsan was also a candidate site, but the Gwanghwamun era was preferred more. Therefore, an in-depth review was not possible at that time,” adding, “Gwanghwamun did not score well in keeping the promise to return the Blue House 100% to the people.” If the office is moved to the Gwanghwamun Seoul Government Complex, the Blue House’s underground bunker, guesthouse, and helipad would inevitably have to continue to be used.

He also refuted claims that the office relocation is being rushed. He emphasized, “(The Blue House relocation issue) has already received applause from residents for decades,” adding, “There is no reason to worry or delay any longer. The difference is whether to relocate during the process of doing other important work after the president’s inauguration or to relocate beforehand and focus only on important work from May 10 (inauguration day).” On the same day, on YTN Radio’s ‘Hwang Bo-seon’s Start New Morning,’ he argued, “The nature of the Blue House is power, and once you enter, it becomes difficult to leave,” adding, “Once inaugurated and work begins, it is difficult to focus on moving the office or relocating the building. It is something that can only be done during the transition committee period.”