Court upholds detention of auditor accused of influencing presidential residence audit

A court has denied a request to review the detention of Yoo Byung-ho, an auditor at the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), who was arrested on charges of abuse of power. Yoo is accused of deliberately weakening an audit related to the relocation of the presidential residence in 2022-2024.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 5-2 rejected Yoo's appeal on July 6th, stating there were no grounds for his release. Yoo's legal team had requested the review, arguing that his detention was unlawful and unjustified. The court heard arguments for approximately two hours before issuing its decision.

Yoo is suspected of intentionally conducting a substandard audit concerning the presidential residence's move. Specifically, he allegedly rebuked auditors who sought to directly investigate '21 Grams,' an interior design firm that sponsored First Lady Kim Keon-hee's exhibition, and instead ordered written inquiries. The special prosecutor's team investigating the case reportedly uncovered evidence suggesting the presidential office contacted Yoo in March 2023, requesting that he avoid direct interviews with '21 Grams' personnel and proceed only with written investigations. Investigators suspect this directive originated from the First Lady.

The special prosecutor's team believes Yoo is responsible for the BAI's failure to include findings in its audit report regarding the circumstances under which '21 Grams,' an unqualified company lacking a general construction license, allegedly secured the presidential residence expansion project by using a subcontractor. Yoo's detention, initially set to end on July 8th after an extension, stems from these allegations. The investigation is ongoing to determine the extent of influence from the presidential office and the First Lady.

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There are no grounds for the request.