CONSTRUCTION OF NEW STATE GUEST HOUSE

[Anchor Lead]

The President's Office earmarked more than 80 billion won in budget to build a new reception building for state guests. The new structure aims to replace the existing state guesthouse which became unavailable after Cheong Wa Dae was opened to public. This plan is expected to be controversial as additional cost is generated with the relocation of the President's Office.

[Pkg]

On President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration day, dinner for foreign dignitaries and guests was held... in a private establishment, the Shilla Hotel, not in CheongWaDae's state guesthouse because of the ongoing relocation of the presidential office. It's been confirmed that the presidential office has decided to build a new state guesthouse near the President's Yongsan office utilizing over 80 billion won in tax money. The Ministry of Economy and Finance recently submitted to the National Assembly this budget plan for next year's management of state-owned properties. This project is titled "new construction of key attached facilities for the Presidential office." The project's purpose is to build new attached facilities to host foreign dignitaries and provide support for various events. The project is to last for two years, from 2023 to 2024. Roughly 49.7 billion won in budget is allocated to this project in 2023 alone. The total cost amounts to approximately 87.8 billion won. The project is organized by the Office of the President and the project beneficiary is marked as the "public." The finance ministry explained that these facilities were needed to support the President's sound state administration. The presidential office has repeatedly emphasized that office relocation would cost 49.6 billion won.

[Soundbite] Han Byung-do(Head, DP fact-finding team) : "President Yoon’s guaranteed claim of needing only KRW 49.6 bn for office relocation was a lie."

The presidential office admitted that it has a plan but it hasn't been finalized because a budget can always change during parliamentary discussions. The officials also claimed that the relocation cost includes only the moving expenses for the offices of the President and his secretaries, not the construction cost for new attached facilities.