Former Presidential Secretariat Officer Hwang and 21Gram CEO Indicted
Charged with Abuse of Authority and Fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes
Kim Ohjin, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and a key figure in the 'Presidential Residence Relocation Favoritism Allegation,' is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu on the 16th after completing the pretrial detention hearing (warrant substantive examination) and heading to the detention center. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Kim Ohjin, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, has been indicted in connection with the 'Presidential Residence Relocation Favoritism Allegation' involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife.
On the 26th, Special Prosecutor Min Jungki's team announced that former Vice Minister Kim and Hwang, a former administrative officer at the Presidential Secretariat, had been indicted and detained on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. Kim Taeyoung, CEO of the interior design company 21Gram, which was responsible for the relocation and expansion of the presidential residence immediately after Yoon was elected, was indicted without detention on charges including fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.
According to the special prosecutor's team, former Vice Minister Kim and Hwang are accused of abusing their authority to ensure that 21Gram, which did not have a general construction license, was awarded the contract for the relocation of the presidential residence. The investigation found that both were deeply involved in arranging for another construction company to lend its business license to 21Gram.
The special prosecutor's team also applied charges of causing the government to sign a contract with 21Gram, which was ineligible for the project, and of drafting and using false official documents to make it appear as though a completion inspection had been conducted, even though neither supervision nor an actual inspection took place (neglect of duty, fabrication of false official documents, and use of false official documents).
Former Vice Minister Kim, Hwang, and CEO Kim are also accused of defrauding the government of 1.6 billion won by using another construction company's name to sign an additional contract, concealing the fact that the purpose was to reimburse 21Gram for excess expenditures during the project (fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes).
Additionally, Hwang and CEO Kim have been charged with violating the Board of Audit and Inspection Act for refusing to comply with requests for documents and making false statements during the audit process.
21Gram is a company that sponsored exhibitions organized by Covana Contents, which was operated by Mrs. Kim. The company was also responsible for the design and construction of the Covana Contents office, and CEO Kim and his wife are known to have a close relationship with Mrs. Kim.
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