People Power Party's Public Administration Committee Members: "Thorough Investigation Needed into Attempted Cover-up of Lee Yong-gu Taxi Driver Assault Case"

Lee Yong-gu, Deputy Minister of Justice, is arriving at the Ministry of Justice building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 26th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As it was revealed that senior officers at the Seoul Seocho Police Station were aware of Vice Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu's specific identity during the taxi driver assault incident, controversy arose, prompting members of the People Power Party on the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee to call for a thorough investigation.

On the 27th, People Power Party members, including Park Wan-soo, the party's secretary on the committee, issued a statement urging, "Investigate without any suspicion the improper orders from the command and interference in the investigation."

The members pointed out, "The police initially denied allegations of a lenient investigation favoring a regime insider by claiming they did not specifically recognize Vice Minister Lee's identity when first investigating the taxi driver assault case. However, it has been revealed that the police had detailed knowledge of Vice Minister Lee's objective background, including his candidacy for the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, essentially tracking his personal movements."

They then targeted Commissioner General Kim Chang-ryong of the National Police Agency, stating, "He defended Vice Minister Lee to the public, who criticized the internal investigation closure as a negligent inquiry, citing not current laws but the 2008 Supreme Court precedent before the law's amendment and the 2015 Constitutional Court rulings," and criticized, "Such behavior by the Police Commissioner General is nothing more than protecting the irrationality and injustice of the Moon Jae-in administration against the common sense and justice of the majority of the people."

The members emphasized, "Given all circumstances, it is highly likely that Vice Minister Lee's identity was reported to the National Police Agency and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency from the time the assault incident occurred," and stressed, "A thorough investigation must be conducted regardless of rank or status." They also demanded, "The police leadership should shed the stigma of being regime-protecting police and be reborn as the people's police, confess the truth to the public now, and promise to prevent recurrence."

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