Former Vice Land Minister Kim Oh‑jin has been placed in pretrial detention in connection with the 2022 relocation of the presidential residence.

The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday ordered the detention of Kim and a former presidential secretary identified by the surname Hwang, citing their potential to destroy evidence.

Special counsel Min Joong‑ki’s team, which is investigating former first lady Kim Keon‑hee, sought the detention of the two figures last Thursday on charges including abuse of authority, obstruction of rights, fraud, and violations of the Framework Act on the Construction Industry.

Prosecutors accused the two of awarding renovation and expansion work on the presidential residence to interior design firm 21 Gram, which lacked a general construction license, shortly after former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s election victory in March 2022.

Kim headed a subcommittee of Yoon’s transition team tasked with relocating the presidential office and later served as presidential secretary for administrative affairs before being promoted to first vice land minister.

The special counsel suspects that 21 Gram's owner has a close relationship with the former first lady and received special treatment.

The former vice land minister said higher-ups had strongly recommended the firm at the detention hearing on Tuesday.