[2024 National Audit] Disruption Due to Witness Absence in 'Official Residence Expansion Allegation'... Accompaniment Order Issued

Absence of '21 Gram' CEO Amid Allegations of Official Residence Expansion

The first National Assembly audit of the 22nd National Assembly by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee targeting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Personnel Management ended in disruption due to a dispute between the ruling and opposition parties over the attendance of witnesses.

On the 7th, lawmakers from both parties argued over the absence of Kim Taeyoung and Lee Seungman, representatives of 21gram, who were included on the witness list during the Ministry of the Interior and Safety audit but did not submit a written excuse. The opposition party requested the issuance of a summons order for them and asked to postpone the audit until compliance.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Public Administration and Security Committee resolved to issue a summons order requiring Representatives Kim and Lee to appear at the committee's plenary session by 2 p.m. that day. The ruling party, the People Power Party, protested this and walked out. The audit was suspended just one hour and 30 minutes after it began.

Jo Eunhee, the ruling party's floor leader and a member of the People Power Party, said just before the resolution, "We can do this during the comprehensive audit as well, but issuing a summons order only for the interior contractor's representative is excessive. It is difficult to agree," adding, "It is very regrettable that the majority party is pushing only for summons orders related to witnesses from the Presidential Office."

Yoon Geon-young, the opposition floor leader and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "It is an act of disregarding the people for ruling party lawmakers to walk out in response to the National Assembly's legitimate witness adoption and data requests," and added, "It is very regrettable whether they are trying to protect the 21gram representatives out of fear, or if they are afraid of First Lady Kim Keon-hee."

Representatives Kim and Lee were witnesses adopted in relation to the so-called 'illegal extension suspicion of the Presidential residence.' The interior contractor for the Presidential residence construction (21gram) is suspected of having received a private contract due to their acquaintance with the First Lady, and the ordering party for the construction is the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Building Management Headquarters.

In addition, a representative of a general construction company who participated in the construction through 21gram's mediation was also absent from the audit that day, citing overseas training as the reason.