Kim Sang-ho, Chief of the Blue House Press Office, responded to reports that part of the parking area of a multi-family housing unit he owns in Gangnam, Seoul, was illegally converted into a studio apartment for rental purposes. He stated, "The space was already modified before I purchased it, and I did not directly carry out or instruct any renovations." However, he acknowledged that he failed to complete necessary administrative procedures after becoming aware of the situation and expressed intentions to regularize the property.
In a statement released on August 10 regarding an exclusive report by SBS, Kim explained, "The multi-family housing unit mentioned in the article was completed in 2003 and has changed ownership twice. I am the third owner, and when I purchased it in 2014, part of the parking area had already been converted into a studio apartment."
SBS reported that Kim and his wife bought the five-story multi-family housing unit in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, for 1.77 billion won in 2014, and that part of the first floor, registered as a parking area and stairwell, has been converted into a studio apartment labeled '101' for rental.
According to SBS, the building is registered as having six residential units on floors two to five. However, the first floor contains a separate studio apartment, reportedly rented for a deposit of 10 million won and a monthly rent of 850,000 won. A Gangnam district official indicated that if the area previously designated as a parking space or stairwell has been expanded for residential use, it could be considered an unauthorized renovation.
Kim claimed he was unaware that the space was not registered in the building's official records at the time of purchase. He stated, "I learned about the relevant facts during the process of finding tenants," asserting that he did not intentionally create an unregistered space or acquire it with that knowledge.
He admitted that he did not promptly initiate administrative procedures after recognizing the situation. Kim noted, "Since the government tightened regulations on multiple homeowners in 2018, I have been continuously trying to sell the property," adding that the burden of increased housing ownership made it difficult to actively pursue the necessary procedures.
He further stated, "I take seriously the fact that I failed to carry out the necessary administrative procedures in a timely manner."
Kim also mentioned that the government, Seoul City, and Gangnam District are supporting the regularization of existing unregistered buildings. Since May of last year, Seoul City has temporarily relaxed the floor area ratio for small buildings, and Gangnam District is providing consultations and guidance on administrative procedures for owners of unregistered structures.
Gangnam District has indicated that regularization may be difficult for buildings that do not meet parking installation standards or exceed building coverage ratios. Therefore, whether Kim's property qualifies for regularization will need to be determined through an investigation of the building's status and the judgment of the relevant administrative authorities.
Kim stated, "I am currently verifying the relevant materials and the status of the building," and he pledged to actively pursue the regularization process after consulting with experts such as architects, ensuring that all necessary documents are prepared for a swift process. He added, "I will faithfully implement the necessary measures in accordance with relevant laws and administrative procedures."
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Kim submitted his resignation to the Blue House on the same day. The status of his resignation has yet to be determined. Kim, a former journalist at Dong-A Ilbo, joined the campaign of Lee Jae-myung during the 2018 Gyeonggi gubernatorial election and has been with him since.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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