Presidential aide Kim Sang-ho resigns amid unauthorized construction allegations

Kim Sang-ho, the head of the Presidential Press Office and a key aide to President Lee Jae-myung, has submitted his resignation. The move comes amid controversy surrounding allegations of unauthorized modifications to a multi-unit residential building he owns.

A presidential official confirmed that Kim submitted his resignation to President Lee on August 10. Kim, a former journalist, has been a close confidant of Lee since the president's tenure as mayor of Seongnam in 2017. He has managed Lee's media relations across various roles, including at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, the Democratic Party leader's office, and the presidential campaign, earning him the label of a core member of the 'Seongnam line.'

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There was no direct expansion, nor did I order an expansion.

Kim has previously faced scrutiny for his multi-home ownership while serving as a presidential staffer. According to property disclosures from September of the previous year, he reported the largest assets among presidential staff, totaling 6.07 billion won. This included six multi-unit dwellings in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, and one apartment in Gwangjin-gu. Although he reportedly put the six Daechi-dong properties on the market, he is understood to still own multiple homes.

The recent allegations concern the conversion of a staircase next to a parking lot on the first floor of a five-story building in Daechi-dong into a studio apartment for rental income. In response, Kim issued a statement denying the claims. He asserted that the parking area was already partially converted into a studio apartment when he purchased the property and that he did not personally undertake or direct any such expansion.

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The parking lot was already partially converted into a studio apartment at the time of purchase.