The second special prosecutor team, led by Kwon Chang-young, has postponed the summons of Kim Geon-hee, a key figure in the investigation into allegations of bribery and external pressure during the relocation of the presidential residence, from July 19 to July 21.
According to legal sources on July 16, the special prosecutor's office announced that it plans to summon Kim for questioning at 10 a.m. on July 21.
Initially, Kim was scheduled to appear at the special prosecutor's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 19, but requested a delay due to health reasons. The special prosecutor's team accepted this request and rescheduled the inquiry for two days later.
The investigation will focus on whether 21Gram, an unqualified company lacking a general construction license, illegally secured contracts for the presidential residence relocation project through personal connections with Kim Geon-hee.
21Gram has been linked to Kim Geon-hee due to its sponsorship of exhibitions organized by Kobana Contents, a cultural and arts exhibition planning company she previously operated, and its involvement in the design and construction of Kobana Contents' office.
The special prosecutor's team began its investigation after uncovering evidence that 21Gram provided expensive gifts, including Dior clothing, to Kim Geon-hee during the 2022 relocation of the presidential residence. They are working to determine whether Kim used her influence to facilitate the awarding of contracts to 21Gram, a company without the necessary qualifications.
Additionally, the role of Yoo Kyung-ok, a close aide to Kim Geon-hee and one of the so-called 'three close aides' to the former president, is also under investigation. The special prosecutor's team believes Yoo was deeply involved in the illegal contract process and summoned her for questioning on July 7 as a suspect under the Special Act on the Punishment of Certain Crimes.
The special prosecutor's team is also examining the flow of funds beyond the preferential treatment in the contract process. There are allegations that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's emergency funds were illegally diverted to cover inflated construction costs that 21Gram submitted, which exceeded the actual scale of the project. Furthermore, they are investigating claims that the Board of Audit and Inspection conducted a lax audit of the relocation, raising suspicions of favoritism.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor's team had planned to question former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun as a suspect regarding the controversial 'Noh Sang-won notebook' on July 19, but his side has indicated he will not attend.
The special prosecutor's office stated, "Today, former Minister Kim expressed his intention not to attend the scheduled inquiry on July 19. We will inform you of the new schedule once it is determined." However, they requested inquiries regarding the reasons for his non-attendance be directed to Kim's representatives.
Previously, the special prosecutor's team had notified Kim Yong-hyun of his status as a suspect for conspiracy to commit murder with the intent to insurrection. They are expected to investigate how far plans to arrest individuals mentioned in the Noh Sang-won notebook, including President Lee Jae-myung, former President Moon Jae-in, former Supreme Court Justice Kwon Soon-il, Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, and Justice Party leader Cho Kuk, have progressed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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