Kang Shin-cheol, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, has responded to allegations regarding the purchase of a commercial property worth 700 million won by his son, asserting that the transaction was legitimate and properly financed. He claimed that the omission of this property from his asset declaration was due to a clerical error during the documentation process. However, members of the People Power Party's Defense Committee held a press conference on September 8, raising concerns about potential concealment and the source of the funds, and called for Kang's resignation.
The preparation team for Kang's confirmation hearing stated the day before that the purchase of the commercial property in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, was a "normal transaction that complied with all legal procedures and tax standards." They explained that the down payment of 70 million won was sourced from the son's personal savings.
They added that the remaining funds, including the balance and acquisition tax, were secured through a loan agreement, and all related taxes were paid appropriately.
Regarding the operation of the property, they noted that it is currently leased to two tenants under formal rental agreements, and all tax procedures related to rental income are being followed.
Kang's team also denied any allegations of intentional concealment regarding the omission of the property from the asset declaration. They stated that after discovering the omission on September 4, they promptly informed the National Assembly and relevant agencies and submitted additional documentation.
The property in question was acquired after the regular asset declaration this year, and the team explained that it was not included in the compilation of the asset list based on existing declarations. They also pointed out that the payment records for local taxes related to the property were initially attached to the confirmation request.
However, the People Power Party maintained that these explanations did not resolve the suspicions. Lawmakers, including Im Jong-deuk, held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication center, arguing that the omission of such a significant asset from the declaration could not be dismissed as a simple mistake.
They highlighted that more than half of the total declared assets were missing during the verification process. They argued that if the son had obtained a large sum from his maternal grandparents, it would be difficult for the parents to be unaware of it, criticizing the late submission of corrected documents.
Im Jong-deuk, the People Power Party's Defense Committee secretary, questioned, "Why do mistakes only seem to occur with real estate?" He called for Kang's resignation and the withdrawal of President Yoon Suk-yeol's nomination, emphasizing that since the nominee is in a position to demand adherence to regulations and principles from soldiers, he must also be held to strict accountability regarding his asset declaration.
This controversy arose after Cheon Ha-ram, acting leader of the Reform Party, raised concerns the previous day about the absence of the son's property ownership from the asset disclosure list. Cheon pointed out that the son, born in 1996, purchased the property about a year after being discharged from military service as a commissioned officer.
There are conflicting claims regarding the timing of the additional documentation submission. Kang's team asserts that they took immediate follow-up actions after confirming the omission on September 4, while Cheon contends that the revised asset list was submitted only after his press conference on September 7.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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