(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Noh Seon-woong = On the 15th, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the suspicions raised by the opposition party during the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit of the Korea Real Estate Agency and the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) of illegal real estate inspections of civilians by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport during the Moon Jae-in administration.
The opposition People's Power Party raised suspicions of illegal inspections and demanded the attendance of officials, including then-Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi, as witnesses for the comprehensive audit, while the ruling Democratic Party of Korea countered that it would call First Lady Kim Kun-hee, who was involved in personnel affairs at the Airport Corporation, as a witness, criticizing that the adoption of politically charged witnesses was hindering the national audit of the people's livelihood.
People Power Party lawmaker Kim Eun-hye said in her remarks, "Last week, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's inspection revealed a blacklist document showing that the Democratic Party government illegally inspected and attempted retaliation against civilians who criticized real estate policies, but there has been no response to the witness call for a week."
He then urged, “Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi, former Housing and Land Office Director Lee Moon-ki, and Korea Real Estate Board Cheongju Branch Manager Lee Dong-hwan, who were directly involved in the document, should be adopted as comprehensive audit witnesses.”
Rep. Yoo Sang-beom of the same party also questioned Lee Heon-wook, director of the Korea Real Estate Agency, saying, “Regarding this nationally serious situation, the Real Estate Institute has not independently confirmed it, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has not issued a confirmation order,” adding, “We have no choice but to accept that there is no will to confirm it now.”
On the other hand, Rep. Yong-gi Yong-gi of the Democratic Party of Korea countered by saying, "If you say you're going to call former Minister Kim and others with a political conspiracy theory, I'll call Kim Geon-hee, the old Airport Corporation personnel manager."
Rep. Jeon refuted, “If you say strange things and only call unrelated people and political witnesses, won’t you be able to call witnesses that are necessary for the people’s livelihood?”
The ruling and opposition parties continued their battle over real estate policy and the Moon Jae-in administration's alleged manipulation of real estate statistics during the afternoon government audit.
Rep. Jeong Hee-yong of the People Power Party pointed out to Director Lee, "At a press conference last June, you mentioned the possibility of reducing the frequency of publishing statistics in relation to weekly apartment price trends." He added, "It is inappropriate to mention that the frequency of publishing weekly statistics should be reduced in a situation where the director does not have the authority to adjust the announcement cycle and jeonse prices are soaring and market instability is growing."
Rep. Jeong Dong-man, the secretary of the opposition party, mentioned Director Lee, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Hong Ji-seon, and LH President Lee Seong-hoon, and said, "During the time of Governor Lee Jae-myeong (Gyeonggi-do), the trio controlled Korea's real estate policy, supply, statistics, and policies. Is it a coincidence?" He added, "The (real estate) policy has already failed and only statistics remain. I am worried that the government will even tamper with statistics to raise approval ratings."
Representative Kim Eun-hye released the employees' petition and claimed that it was a document showing that statistics were manipulated during the Moon Jae-in administration.
The petition included the statement, 'We are grateful to the Board of Audit and Inspection for revealing that the Office of the President and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport put pressure on the Real Estate Agency to manipulate or distort statistical figures.'
Rep. Kim questioned Director Lee, “Why do you say there was no manipulation of statistics?”
On the other hand, Rep. Ahn Tae-jun of the Democratic Party of Korea defended Director Lee, who said that "there was no manipulation of statistics" and "the word "statistics manipulation" does not appear in the indictment of related trials in progress," and refuted, "I think the director is taking the correct stance."
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-geun said in a question to HUG President Choi In-ho, "Policy loans increased rapidly from 2022 to 2024 under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. At the end of 2021, it was about 18.9 trillion won, but at the end of 2024, it was a whopping 54 trillion won," and criticized, "As the real estate economy slumped under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, they mobilized the Housing and Urban Fund to implement a policy of 'buying a house by borrowing money.'"
Rep. Yeom Tae-young of the same party also said, "Didn't the Yoon Seok-yeol government use the 3.18 trillion won housing and urban fund to make up for the tax revenue shortfall in 2024?" and added, "There were many criticisms about whether it was appropriate to use the fund set aside to stabilize the people's housing to make up for the shortfall in the general finances, and the National Assembly Budget Office also pointed out that opportunity costs had disappeared."
Meanwhile, on this day, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Commission additionally adopted SK Eco Plant Vice Chairman Jang Dong-hyun and Seoul City's First Vice-Mayor Jeong Sang-hoon as additional witnesses for next week's comprehensive audit.
Vice-Chairman Jang was included in the witness list to inquire about the practice of selling the business after receiving support from the local government in the name of creating a large-scale industrial complex and investment, and Vice-Mayor Jeong was included in the witness list to confirm the controversy related to the Han River Bus in Seoul.
