Democratic Party: "Only 1 Trillion Won Revealed for Presidential Office Yongsan Relocation Costs... Will Increase Further"

Fact-Finding Team to Investigate Through National Assembly Audit
Investigation of Four Major Suspicions
① Relocation of Presidential Office and Opening of Cheongwadae
② Selection of Official Residence Site and Preferential Contract Awards
③ Private Hiring of Presidential Office Staff
④ Other Work Performance Capabilities

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The Democratic Party of Korea estimated that if President Yoon Seok-yeol relocates the presidential office from the Blue House to Yongsan, the budget required would exceed 1 trillion won.

Han Byung-do, head of the fact-finding team on allegations related to the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential office, is attending and speaking at the fact-finding meeting held at the National Assembly on the 30th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 30th, the Democratic Party held a meeting of the Presidential Office-related Allegations Fact-Finding Team and disclosed the estimated costs of relocating the presidential office as identified by each standing committee.

Members of the Democratic Party's National Defense Committee anticipated a minimum cost of 815.3 billion won. Already, 2.95 billion won was reallocated under the name of environmental maintenance around the building, and 14.322 billion won was spent for the integrated relocation of defense departments. In addition, they estimated at least 298 billion won would be needed for the relocation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Furthermore, at least 300 billion won would be required for the establishment of residual U.S. military bases, and 200 billion won for security and guard units related to the president’s relocation, including assigned units, protective facilities, garrison facilities, air defense unit relocation, and training facilities.

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee analyzed that an additional 54.187 billion won was allocated in relation to the presidential office relocation. The budget identified by the committee pertains to the conversion of the Blue House into a tourist resource. The Planning and Finance Committee recognized 90.27 billion won as the budget related to the presidential office relocation, including the construction cost of a new state guesthouse. The Public Administration and Security Committee found that 9.354 billion won was allocated for presidential residence construction and security cost relocation.

The Steering Committee estimated 7.96 billion won for the relocation of the Presidential Secretariat and Security Office, while the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee identified a budget of 48.34 billion won related to the temporary opening of Yongsan Park and other matters. The Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee also confirmed a budget of 2.329 billion won for the presidential residence move.

Han Byung-do, a Democratic Party lawmaker and head of the fact-finding team, stated, "Besides the budgets found by the National Defense, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Public Administration and Security, Planning and Finance, Steering, Land, and Foreign Affairs Committees, there could be hidden budgets uncovered by the Intelligence Committee and others. The fourth quarter budget reallocations are currently missing, and essential costs related to unit relocations are also absent. Our estimate is that the budget will inevitably increase beyond what we have currently added."

The Democratic Party intends to focus on the ‘Presidential Office-related Allegations Fact-Finding Team’ to investigate issues related to the presidential office. Representative Han said, "Through the national audit, we will thoroughly expose the actual costs of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s presidential office relocation, and in the upcoming budget review process for next year, we will conduct meticulous scrutiny to prevent any waste of taxpayers’ money." The Democratic Party has organized four major allegations, 20 investigative tasks, and 60 detailed tasks regarding the presidential office-related suspicions, including ▲the presidential office relocation and Blue House opening ▲selection of the presidential residence site and preferential contract awards ▲private recruitment of presidential office staff ▲and other work performance capabilities.