On the 24th of last month, President Roh Young-min, the head of the presidential secretary, signed a sale contract for an apartment in Banpo, Seoul, the Blue House said.

Blue House spokesman Kang Min-suk refuted the previous media report on the grounds that Mr. Roh may not have actually sold an apartment in Banpo, Seoul, and explained that "Mr. Noh is currently only paying the balance."

He also added, "The report has no choice but to be said to be unreasonable and malicious without even checking the basic facts."