Golf facility built for Yoon

[Anchor]

KBS has exclusively obtained testimony from a high-ranking official at the Presidential Security Service stating that the building in question was indeed constructed for golf practice.

There is also testimony indicating that then-Chief of the Presidential Security Service, Kim Yong-hyun, personally oversaw the construction.

Park Kyung-joon has this exclusive report.

[Report]

Despite numerous allegations, the Presidential Security Service has never officially acknowledged the existence of a golf practice facility.

[Youn Kun-young / National Assembly Special Investigation Committee Member / Democratic Party / Jan. 2025: "Did you or did you not build a golf practice facility at the Hannam-dong residence in 2022?"

[Kim Sung-hoon / Then-Deputy Chief, Presidential Security Service / Jan. 2025: "There was none at the time."]

However, in a phone interview with KBS, then-Deputy Chief Kim Jong-chul acknowledged that the facility did include a golf practice area.

He said it wasn’t a “luxury screen golf facility” but confirmed that the building was made up of “a golf practice space, a lounge, a guard post, and a fitness area.”

This is the first time a senior official involved at the time has admitted the building was intended for golf use.

Kim also revealed that he worked closely with then-Chief Kim Yong-hyun from the early stages of the project, actively deciding the location and purpose of the building.

Another individual involved in the construction testified that Kim Yong-hyun personally visited the site multiple times to oversee the progress.

According to this source, Kim even gave specific orders to ensure the building would not appear in satellite images.

[Construction Worker / Voice Altered: "Chief Kim Yong-hyun personally came and told us, ‘Move it here, move it there.’ We planted trees around it so it wouldn’t be visible from above. He instructed that it be concealed."]

Afterward, Kim Yong-hyun was promoted to Defense Minister, and Kim Jong-chul was appointed as Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration.

The facility was built using the budget of the Presidential Security Service. Both the Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution are now investigating whether this was legal.

In response to KBS’s inquiry, the Presidential Security Service stated it “cannot confirm any details about internal facilities of the presidential residence due to security reasons,” and said all contract-related documents have been transferred to the Presidential Archives.

Former Chief Kim Yong-hyun declined to provide a comment.

KBS News, Park Kyung-joon.