(LEAD) DP vows to look into allegations of fortune teller's involvement in presidential office relocation

(ATTN: UPDATES with presidential office's response in last three paras)

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party said Thursday the party will uncover the truth of allegations that a fortune teller was involved in the presidential office relocation.

Rep. Park Hong-geun made the remarks at a party meeting held shortly after an online news outlet, Preported the fortune teller, known as Cheongong, was involved in the project, which was an election campaign pledge of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

After winning the presidential election last year, Yoon relocated the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the former defense ministry building in Yongsan in central Seoul.

"The report shows fortune teller Cheongong was behind the relocation of the presidential office and the residence that increased national security risks, caused traffic inconvenience to Seoul citizens and wasted an astronomical amount of taxpayers' money," Park said.

According to OhmyNews report, Cheongong made visits to candidate sites of the presidential residence with an official of the presidential transitional committee and an unidentified pro-Yoon lawmaker in March last year.

The presidential security service flatly refuted the report over the fortune teller's involvement in the relocation process.

According to sources, the presidential office is considering suing Boo Seung-chan, the defense ministry's former spokesperson who first raised the allegation, and the online media outlet for spreading false information.

"We are looking into ways to hold (those) who repeatedly spread groundless allegations accountable even though Kim Yong-hyun, head of the presidential security service, said he has never met Cheongong," a presidential official told Yonhap News Agency by phone.

nyway@yna.co.kr
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