Lee Hyehoon: "There Were Personal Circumstances Behind Fraudulent Application Allegations... I Followed Regulations and Procedures"

Lee Hyehoon, nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget, addressed allegations of fraudulent apartment applications on the 23rd, stating, "I am aware that there are aspects that fall short of public expectations," but insisted, "I followed the regulations and procedures."

At the confirmation hearing of the Finance and Economy Planning Committee held at the National Assembly that day, Lee made these remarks in response to questions from Jung Ilyoung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Assemblyman Jung pointed out that, for matters such as year-end tax settlements, adults are not considered dependents, and raised concerns about the criteria for dependents in housing applications, stating, "If someone won a popular apartment in the Gangnam area in this way, young people and newlyweds would inevitably feel discouraged."

Lee Hyehoon, nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget, is attending the confirmation hearing of the Finance and Economy Planning Committee held at the National Assembly on the 23rd, responding to questions from members of the committee. 2026.1.23 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Regarding suspicions that she delayed registering her marriage to increase her housing application score, Lee responded, "There were personal circumstances," and added, "In life, people get married and acquire a newlywed home, but sometimes things don't go as planned-I have felt that deeply." She continued, "There are circumstances I cannot fully explain, but I am well aware that this situation does not meet public expectations. I sincerely apologize to the public and will humbly accept any decision made."

Additionally, regarding the issue of not registering her adult child's marriage for the purpose of housing applications, she stated, "If it had been for the housing application, I would have registered the marriage after the application deadline of July 19, 2024." She further explained, "However, even a year and a half after that date, for two years after the marriage, the registration was not completed due to personal reasons."