Ex-Minister Lee Sang-min Summoned Over Alleged Misuse of Presidential Residence Funds

A special prosecutor team investigating remaining cases from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration has summoned former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min for questioning. Lee is scheduled to appear on June 29 as a suspect in an alleged misuse of presidential residence funds during the transition period.

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We have confirmed that the special prosecution team has notified former Minister Lee Sang-min to appear for questioning on June 29.

Lee is accused of abusing his authority by participating in the illegal diversion of 2.8 billion won from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's budget. This money was allegedly used to pay an unqualified contractor, identified as 21gram, for renovation work on the presidential residence in 2022. The initial budget for the residence expansion was set at 1.44 billion won, but the project's scope increased significantly when the location shifted from the Army Chief of Staff's residence to the Foreign Minister's residence.

Following the relocation, the interior design company 21gram submitted a revised quote of 4.116 billion won in May 2022. Facing difficulties in covering the costs with the existing budget, the Presidential Office reportedly pressured the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in July 2022, sending an official document requesting "active support for the prompt completion of the construction." Despite internal objections, the ministry allegedly secured an additional 2.093 billion won through budget reallocation and other means to pay the contractors.

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Lee Sang-min is suspected of abusing his authority by being involved in illegally diverting 2.8 billion won from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's budget to pay an unqualified company, 21gram, for the presidential residence renovation in 2022.

The special prosecutor team suspects that Lee Sang-min took retaliatory personnel actions, such as excluding subordinates from promotions, against those who opposed the budget diversion. The team has already arrested former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki and former Senior Secretary for General Affairs Yoon Jae-soon as they focus on uncovering the involvement of higher-ranking officials. Investigators plan to question Lee about the decision-making process, including whether President Yoon Suk-yeol and the first lady were involved.

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The Presidential Office sent an official document on July 8, 2022, requesting 'active support for the prompt completion of the construction.'

Lee Sang-min is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence following a second-instance ruling on charges related to ordering power outages and communication disruptions at media outlets during the December 3, 1979, martial law period. His summons in the residence budget case adds another significant legal challenge to his ongoing incarceration.

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The special prosecution team suspects that Lee Sang-min imposed disadvantages such as exclusion from promotion on field personnel who opposed the budget diversion.