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Ex-vice land minister, two others indicted in presidential residence relocation case

Published: 26 Dec. 2025, 19:28

Kim Oh-jin, former vice minister of land, infrastructure and transport, center, leaves the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District on Dec. 16 after attending an arrest warrant review hearing and before heading to a detention center. [YONHAP]

A special counsel team on Friday indicted former Vice Land Minister Kim Oh-jin and a former presidential secretary, surnamed Hwang, on charges linked to favoritism allegations surrounding the 2022 relocation of the presidential residence.

Kim and Hwang, placed under arrest on Dec. 17, are accused of helping 21 Gram, an interior design company without proper licensing, be selected for the presidential residence's relocation and renovation work, following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's election victory in March 2022.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team suspects that the two officials abused their power to have a construction company lend its name to 21 Gram, which does not have a general construction license.

The team also indicted Kim Tae-young, CEO of 21 Gram, without detention on fraud and other charges. The three are accused of embezzling 1.6 billion won ($1.1 million) from the government in connection with the residence relocation project.

In addition, Hwang and 21 Gram's Kim were charged with refusing to submit documents and making false statements during the Board of Audit and Inspection's audit process. The 21 Gram CEO and his wife are known to be close to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Yonhap