Yu Byung-ho, a Commissioner of the Board of Audit and Inspection who was arrested on suspicion of lenient auditing over the transfer of the presidential residence, was found to have referred to former President Yoon Suk-yeol as the "boss" and called the move to transfer the presidential residence to Yongsan "the greatest decision since the Gyeongbu Expressway."
According to legal sources on the 21st, the second special counsel confirmed that a memo with this content was written early in the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration on Yu's mobile phone.
Yu's memo also reportedly included content to the effect that "political opponents must be purged." In particular, in relation to the "Tiger faction," known as the group aligned with Commissioner Yu within the Board of Audit and Inspection, a memo was also found to the effect that "let the seven members of the Tiger faction do well," according to reports.
Based on this perception, the special counsel concluded that Yu improperly intervened in the audit of the Blue House and the transfer of the residence at the direction of the Blue House. In particular, the team secured internal testimony from the Board of Audit and Inspection to the effect that "even the chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection referred to Yu as the kingmaker."
The special counsel believes the request to quash the audit of the residence transfer was relayed to Yu through the Blue House's office of administrative secretary and the office of public service discipline secretary. The office of administrative secretary asked through the office of public service discipline secretary that the interior company 21 Gram be investigated in writing rather than face-to-face, and the office of public service discipline secretary contacted Yu, after which the face-to-face investigation was changed to a written one. 21 Gram is known as a company with close ties to Ms. Kim.
The Board of Audit and Inspection conducted a face-to-face investigation of 21 Gram after calls emerged for a direct probe. The special counsel said it secured an audio recording of the investigation at the time and confirmed indications that testimony was altered, including that the CEO of 21 Gram's statements were recorded in the report differently from the facts.
Lee Jong-rok, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for Yu the day before, citing concerns about destruction of evidence.
Meanwhile, the special counsel plans to summon Kim Keon-hee for questioning on the 22nd. It is expected to verify allegations that money or goods were provided in the process by which 21 Gram won the contract for the residence transfer construction.