Han Duck-soo faces heat over below-market officetel sale to acquaintance

South Korean Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo faced intense scrutiny during his confirmation hearing over allegations he provided preferential treatment to an acquaintance in a real estate transaction. The controversy centers on the sale of a commercial officetel at a price below market value.

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Who is this acquaintance to receive such a special favor, one that is hard to give even between siblings? Isn't this indirect gifting?

Kim Hee-jung, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, questioned Han, asking who the acquaintance was to receive such a "special favor" and suggesting it might be a form of indirect gifting. The officetel was sold for 1.5 billion won after Han's nomination, to an individual who had been renting the property at a below-market rate since April. Kim further alleged the buyer was a salon director who had previously styled the hair of former first lady Kwon Yang-sook, and that Han became unreachable when asked about styling other first ladies.

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Our hearing level is embarrassing. If you had charged high rent to the tenant, wouldn't you have been criticized as a malicious landlord?

Lee So-young, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, defended Han, criticizing the opposition's line of questioning as a waste of time and lacking basic reasoning. Lee argued that Han would have been criticized as a "malicious landlord" if he had charged high rent. Han himself refuted the allegations, stating the property had not sold despite price reductions and he offered it to the interested buyer. He called the suggestions of improper dealings and connections to former first ladies "excessive."

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It wasn't selling even when I lowered the price, and I offered it because they expressed interest. I don't know what you mean by gifting or receiving benefits.