Park Beom-gye "One week of questions about Lee Seong-yoon's position... How can a minister be cornered like this?" expresses displeasure

Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye expressed displeasure when asked about the whereabouts of Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon, who was indicted on charges of exerting external pressure in the investigation of the 'Illegal Departure Ban Case of Former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui,' saying, "You have been asking for a week now."

On the morning of the 14th, Minister Park, upon meeting the press on his way to the Ministry of Justice Government Gwacheon Office, was asked whether Prosecutor Lee would be suspended from duty. He replied, "There must be laws and procedures," adding, "You have been cornering the Minister of Justice like this for a week, really..."

On the same day, Minister Park also mentioned regarding the public disclosure of Prosecutor Lee's indictment contents to the media the previous day, saying, "We are carefully accumulating [the information]." This is interpreted as hinting at the possibility of conducting a fact-finding investigation and inspection into the circumstances of the indictment's disclosure. However, when asked if this meant an inspection would be conducted, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "Please don't ask further."

Earlier, some media outlets reported based on Prosecutor Lee's indictment that Lee Gwang-cheol, Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Blue House (former Senior Administrative Officer of the Civil Affairs Office), had reported the illegal departure ban case of former Deputy Minister Kim to then Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk, requesting "to prevent Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won from being investigated." This sparked controversy over the 'leak of Prosecutor Lee's indictment.'

Meanwhile, regarding the possible reinstatement of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office Joint Investigation Team for Securities Crimes, which was abolished during former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae's tenure, Minister Park explained, "It is a precise response and preparation within the scope that does not disrupt the reform of investigative authority and is not a regression of reform." Additionally, he added, "It seems that Prosecutor General nominee Kim Oh-soo also agrees on the need for preparation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.