Seoul, January 29 (NationPress) An illegal golf driving range has been discovered on the grounds of the former presidential residence of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to a report from the state auditor released on Thursday.

The construction was initiated under the directive of Kim Yong-hyun, who was then the chief of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), and was falsely recorded in official documents as a guard post, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) stated.

The report did not clarify whether Yoon had directly ordered the construction or how involved he was in the process, as the details could not be confirmed with Kim, who is currently incarcerated for his part in Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.

Yoon himself is also imprisoned due to this martial law attempt.

The driving range, an extension covering 69.5 square meters, required approval from the interior and finance ministries under state property regulations before construction or usage could commence.

However, the BAI reported that the PSS disregarded the established procedures necessary for both the initiation and completion of the project.

In 2022, Yoon moved the presidential office and residence to fulfill a campaign commitment aimed at enhancing public engagement. Both the office and residence were relocated from the Cheong Wa Dae compound to what were previously the defense ministry compound and the residence of the foreign minister.

According to the BAI, in May 2022, Kim convened a dozen staff members at the presidential residence and commanded them to construct a golf driving range.

He instructed a senior official to ensure the project remained undisclosed, leading to a construction plan that misrepresented its purpose as a guard post and described it as an 'employees' waiting area', as per the auditor's findings.

The PSS also initiated work with a construction company before a contract was signed, completing the facility in August 2022 at a cost of 135 million won ($94,380), of which 104 million won was attributed to the driving range's construction, the auditor noted.

The PSS failed to report the construction plans to the local district office, as mandated, according to news agency Yonhap.

The BAI stated, 'The then chief and deputy chief of the PSS were aware from the outset that the facility was intended for the president's use.' The report emphasizes that constructing a facility for the president should fall under the responsibilities of the presidential secretariat rather than the PSS.

During a visit to the site, Kim provided specific instructions to plant trees to obscure the driving range from public view, reposition the golf bay 'to the center,' and install a non-breakable mirror.

He was also found to have requested a draft proposal for the interior design of the driving range, which was to be presented to Yoon, suggesting he may have had knowledge of the construction.

The BAI also found evidence indicating that the driving range had been utilized.

'While we could not ascertain the exact duration of its use, there were signs indicating that golf balls had been hit for practice,' a BAI official remarked.

The auditor has called on the PSS to implement disciplinary actions and other measures against those employees and construction company officials involved in this matter.

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