Seen above is the former foreign minister's residence in Yongsan District, Seoul, which is undergoing remodeling for use as the residence of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Korea Times photo by Choe Joo-yeon

By Nam Hyun-woo

The presidential office on Tuesday denied the media report that three companies that had sponsored art exhibitions hosted by first lady Kim Keon-hee's art startup had been chosen as some of the construction companies currently remodeling the presidential residence.

Kim closed the startup after her husband was inaugurated as president over conflict of interest allegations.

"The presidential residence is under construction under the Presidential Security Service's strict monitoring," an official of the presidential office said during a briefing, noting the security service is in charge of screening and selection of builders.

The reaction came hours after liberal news outlet OhmyNews reported that three companies, which are in charge of the residence's interior, design and construction, had sponsored exhibitions of Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in 2016 and Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti in 2018, both of which were hosted by Covana Contents, an art exhibition firm founded by the first lady.

The three companies are small builders, with the first one ― in charge of interior remodeling ― being noted as conducting construction worth 1.7 billion won ($1.3 million won), according to the report.

The official at the presidential office refused to confirm whether the three companies are involved in building Yoon's residence, citing security reasons, but added that the companies involved did not "sponsor" Covana Contents' art exhibitions.

"The companies are named as sponsor companies in the posters of the exhibitions, but it does not mean that they paid for the exhibitions," the official said. "The companies participated in construction work for the exhibitions and were paid for that. They were mentioned in the posters as part of gratitude for their efforts."

President Yoon is commuting from his home in southern Seoul's Seocho-dong to the presidential office in Yongsan, as he relocated the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno District, which had also housed the president's residence within its grounds.

The presidential office is now remodeling a former residence for the foreign minister in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, to use as the new presidential residence.