Probe eyes watch-contract link

[Anchor]

The businessman who delivered this watch has been confirmed to have signed a contract with the presidential office for a robot dog security business shortly after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's inauguration.

The special investigation team is suspicious of the quid pro quo between the watch and the contract.

Our exclusive report continues with reporter Gong Min-kyung.

[Report]

This is businessman A, who admitted to giving an expensive watch to Mrs. Kim Keon-hee during a YouTube broadcast that has been operating since the emergency martial law.

[A/Watch Buyer: "Our President Yoon has a charm that is like the fool Ondal. The love for the First Lady, we can feel that."]

During the 20th presidential election, he donated the maximum legal amount of 10 million won to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and attended the inauguration ceremony at the invitation of Mrs. Kim.

Subsequently, A's company signed a three-month contract worth 18 million won for 'robot dog-related leasing' with the presidential office at the end of September 2022.

The contract was made immediately after the watch was delivered to Mrs. Kim.

[A/Watch Buyer: "(You gave the watch in September, right?) Yes, yes, that date was definitely September 7th...."]

There was already a 'favoritism controversy' at that time, and the special investigation team is also focusing on the 'quid pro quo' of this contract.

A claimed that it was a legitimate contract and that he only suffered losses, explaining that the 'watch proxy purchase' was due to his friendship with Mrs. Kim, which he maintained since Yoon was the Prosecutor General.

He also stated to the special investigation team that he does not know Mrs. Kim's mother or brother at all.

However, the problematic watch box and warranty were found at the home of Mrs. Kim's brother's mother-in-law.

Mrs. Kim maintains that the items from this house are not hers.

However, the special investigation team believes that Mrs. Kim hid the watch and necklace through her brother and plans to actively present evidence of potential destruction of evidence at the detention warrant hearing for Mrs. Kim scheduled for tomorrow (Aug. 12).

This is KBS News, Gong Min-kyung.