[비즈한국] It has been belatedly confirmed that Kim Chong, former Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, served as the CEO of a Booyoung Group affiliate last year. Former Vice Minister Kim Chong was imprisoned for two years for his involvement in the Choi Soon-sil "influence-peddling" scandal and was released in December 2018. While his whereabouts since then had been largely unknown, it appears he has been active, including holding a position as CEO of a Booyoung Group affiliate.
Last August, former Vice Minister Kim Chong was appointed CEO of several Booyoung Group affiliates, including Booyoung Co., Ltd., Booyoung Housing, Dongkwang Housing, Kwangyoung Construction, and Namkwang Construction Industry. Prior to this, there were no known significant ties between Kim and Booyoung Group.
His only previous interactions with the group were when he attended events such as Booyoung Group’s partnership signing with the World Taekwondo Federation in 2015, and the inauguration ceremony for Booyoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-keun as president of the World Taekwondo Peace Corps Foundation in 2016. These were standard duties as a Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and it is difficult to see them as evidence of a deep relationship with the group.
Furthermore, the Booyoung Group affiliates where Kim Chong was appointed CEO are mostly construction companies. Kim had spent his career in the sports sector and had no significant experience in the construction industry. It is also puzzling that he was appointed in August of last year—after the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration—given his prominent role in the Park Geun-hye government, as it would have been difficult for him to play a significant role in government relations. This is why questions are being raised about the background of his appointment.
Even more perplexing is that Kim Chong resigned from all his CEO positions in September of last year, just one month after taking office. A Booyoung Group representative stated, "Former Vice Minister Kim Chong resigned from the CEO positions for personal reasons," but did not disclose the background behind his appointment.
Aside from his ties to Booyoung Group, Kim Chong appears to have been engaged in private business activities. Jung-Am International, known as his family’s company, completed the construction of a three-story building in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, in 2023, which it currently owns. Former Vice Minister Kim and his wife, surnamed Hong, serve as the auditor and CEO of Jung-Am International, respectively. In 2024, the family sold a four-story building they owned in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to a company called HJ Sangseung. Kim also serves as the CEO of HJ Sangseung, with his wife, Hong, serving as an internal director.