Bae Gyeong-hun, the nominee for Minister of Science and ICT, said regarding media reports that he took out a housing mortgage just before the government's loan regulations, "I don't think there is any problem at all."
On the 30th, Bae headed to the office of the preparation team for the personnel hearing established at the Gwanghwamun Post Office in Jongno, Seoul, meeting with reporters and explaining, "I sold the house I had for actual residence and it was time to move, so I did not have any information when I sold it."
Earlier, a media outlet reported that Bae had signed a sales contract for an apartment in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, last March and took out a loan amounting to 750 million won using the apartment as collateral on the 10th of this month, just before the Lee Jae-myung administration implemented loan regulations that limit the maximum limit for dwellings in the metropolitan area to 600 million won starting on the 28th.
In response, the Ministry of Science and ICT issued a press release stating, "Bae's apartment located in Seocho-gu was contracted for sale for actual residence purposes on March 5, and the timing of obtaining the collateral loan was such that it was impossible to be aware of the policy in advance."
It was explained that the stocks held by Bae's minor children were obtained after formally paying the gift tax. The Ministry of Science and ICT stated, "Bae gifted 100 million won to his children, paid the gift tax, and purchased the stocks based on recommendations from a securities company employee for investment purposes for his children's future."
Bae drew a line regarding the proposal to split the Ministry of Science and ICT into science and artificial intelligence (AI), saying, "I understand that it is one of the proposals being discussed," and added, "In fact, AI is created based on science and technology and information and communication, and I believe a plan that maximizes organic effectiveness can be derived."