Key Summary
- Lee Yong-cheol, the nominee for justice minister, arrived for work at his confirmation-preparation office in Seoul’s Songpa District on the morning of the 11th.
- He said fact-finding should come first in the dispute over calls to withdraw prosecution in a case involving President Lee Jae-myung.
- Lee said it was not appropriate to comment on speculation or on a controversy he said he was not directly involved in.
- He declined to answer several other questions, including issues tied to alleged conflicts of interest and investigations involving Daejang-dong and Ssangbangwool.
Main Story
Justice minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol made his first appearance at the office set up for his confirmation process in Munjeong-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, on the morning of the 11th. Speaking to reporters, he again declined to take a position on the controversy surrounding calls to withdraw prosecution in a case involving President Lee Jae-myung.
Lee said his view had not changed: the priority is to establish the facts and to proceed according to law and principle. He also said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on what he described as a debate built on assumptions and speculation. Lee added that he was not a member of any group pushing for prosecution withdrawal and that he had not participated as defense counsel in the case subject to the special counsel investigation.
He also avoided responding to questions about whether his role as a presidential aide could create a conflict of interest in directing investigations, as well as questions about the Daejang-dong and Ssangbangwool probes.
When asked about allegations involving his own past, Lee said he would explain them during the confirmation hearing. Those allegations included claims that he gave hiring preference to associates of President Lee while serving as head of the Seongnam Industrial Promotion Foundation. He also addressed a separate allegation involving a rally in support of former Unified Progressive Party lawmaker Lee Seok-ki at a building managed by the foundation, saying he had not been deeply involved in operational details.
In prepared remarks before the question-and-answer session, Lee said he felt a serious sense of responsibility and would do his best to help establish a new criminal justice system. He said he would work to prevent gaps in crime response, quickly expand personnel, and improve organizational stability and morale. He also stressed fair use of prosecutorial authority, saying he aimed to help realize judicial justice and strengthen the prosecution as an institution that protects human rights.
Background
The supplied text includes only the immediate context of Lee Yong-cheol’s first day at the confirmation-preparation office and the questions raised around his nomination. No additional background was provided.
Items Requiring Further Verification
- Lee’s statement that he is not a member of the group associated with prosecution withdrawal.
- His statement that he did not participate as defense counsel in the special counsel case.
- The allegations that he granted hiring preference to associates of President Lee during his time at the Seongnam Industrial Promotion Foundation.
- The allegation regarding a support rally for former lawmaker Lee Seok-ki at a building managed by the foundation.
- Any implications of conflict of interest tied to his position and future investigative authority were raised in questions, but no substantive answer was given in the text.