The investigation into alleged misconduct surrounding the audit of the presidential residence relocation under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration has reached a critical juncture. The denial of an arrest warrant for Son, a senior official at the Board of Audit accused of manipulating evidence and creating false reports, has hindered the progress of the Special Prosecutors' investigation into higher-ups at the Board.
On June 19, the Seoul Central District Court's Chief Judge Lee Jong-rok conducted a pre-arrest hearing for Son, a Grade 3 civil servant facing charges of forgery, and subsequently denied the arrest warrant.
The judge stated, "Given the degree of evidence regarding the alleged crime, the potential for dispute, and the progress of the investigation, it is difficult to recognize the necessity or justification for arrest."
Son was the head of the audit team responsible for overseeing the investigation into allegations surrounding the relocation of the presidential office and residence from 2022 to last year. He is accused of creating false reports by altering or fabricating some evidence documents.
Upon arriving at the court, Son declined to answer questions from reporters regarding the charges of forgery.
The Special Prosecutors suspect that the manipulated data managed by Son influenced the final audit results. In their request for an arrest warrant on June 16, they claimed, "We have confirmed that evidence documents were manipulated during the audit process, and there are indications that this affected the audit results."
A key focus of the investigation is whether the Board of Audit intentionally downplayed the role of the interior company 21Gram during the construction process of the residence.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol relocated the presidential office to the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan and moved the residence to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs' residence in Hannam-dong shortly after his election in March 2022. Following this, civic groups, including the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, requested a public audit, prompting the Board of Audit to conduct its investigation.
After two years of auditing, the Board released its report in September of last year. The report highlighted issues such as the commencement of construction before securing a budget and the involvement of unqualified companies, but only issued cautionary measures against the Presidential Office and others.
In contrast, the Special Prosecutors believe that the Board of Audit was aware that 21Gram, an unqualified company, effectively oversaw the entire construction project but downplayed its role in the report, suggesting it was only responsible for interior work. They also assert that the report misrepresented that Won Dam Construction, a licensed general contractor, oversaw the project, thereby creating a facade of legality.
The Special Prosecutors have been investigating the circumstances surrounding the preparation of the audit report and the chain of command by summoning Board officials following a search of the residences of the Board and Audit Commissioner Yoo Byeong-ho on May 14. Son, being at the top of the audit operations, was seen as a key figure through whom the Special Prosecutors aimed to clarify the internal decision-making processes and any potential higher-up involvement.
However, with the court not recognizing the necessity for Son's arrest, the investigation into the Board's leadership is expected to face some limitations. The Special Prosecutors are also examining the involvement of Yoo Byeong-ho, who served as the Secretary General of the Board during the Yoon administration.
The Special Prosecutors plan to analyze the reasons for the warrant denial before considering a reapplication, while also focusing on gathering additional evidence and investigating related individuals to clarify any collusion in the audit report preparation process.
The denial of the warrant is likely to pose challenges for the Special Prosecutors' strategy for securing suspects. Previously, they were unable to obtain warrants for former KTV President Lee Eun-woo, who faces charges of insurrection propaganda, and former Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim O-jin, related to the residence relocation allegations.
In connection with the illegal diversion of the budget for the residence relocation, arrest warrants were issued and suspects, including former Presidential Office Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki and former Secretary for General Affairs Yoon Jae-soon, have been secured and are facing trial. The case involving Son marks the third instance of a warrant denial among major cases publicly known since the establishment of the Special Prosecutors' Office.
Additionally, the Special Prosecutors have indicted Kim Dae-ki, Yoon Jae-soon, former Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and former Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim O-jin for their alleged involvement in the illegal diversion of government funds during the residence relocation process, while continuing investigations against the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Board of Audit.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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