Swearing and Strangling... 'Taxi Driver Assault' Black Box Video of Lee Yong-gu Released

"You're all caught on camera, so let's go to the police station," said the taxi driver, but the hand was released.

A black box video capturing the circumstances of Lee Yong-gu, then a lawyer and now Deputy Minister of Justice, verbally abusing a taxi driver while heavily intoxicated on November 6 last year. / Photo by SBS

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] A black box video of Lee Yong-gu, Deputy Minister of Justice, allegedly assaulting a taxi driver while intoxicated has been released.

On the 2nd, SBS reported that it obtained a black box video capturing the moment Lee assaulted taxi driver Mr. A about a month before his appointment as Deputy Minister, in November of last year.

According to the released video, Mr. A, who was driving the intoxicated Deputy Minister, asks, "Should I let you off here?" upon hearing the navigation alert signaling arrival at the destination.

Seated in the back seat, the Deputy Minister suddenly utters a curse, saying "You XXX XX," and when the startled taxi driver asks, "Why are you cursing?" he does not respond.

The vice minister suddenly reaches out and grabs the taxi driver's nape. / Photo by SBS Broadcast Capture

When Mr. A asks again, "Did you curse at me?" the Deputy Minister reaches out from the back seat, grabs Mr. A's neck, and says, "XXX, what are you?" When Mr. A replies, "I'm a taxi driver. I will report this. You grabbed my neck. Everything was recorded, so let's go to the police station," the Deputy Minister releases his grip.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister is accused of grabbing Mr. A's collar in front of his apartment in Seocho-gu late at night on November 6 last year while intoxicated in a taxi. At that time, the police did not book the Deputy Minister, citing the victim's wish not to press charges, and closed the case as an internal investigation.

The Deputy Minister is also accused of instructing the destruction of evidence by requesting Mr. A to delete the black box video of the assault.

The Deputy Minister expressed his resignation on the 28th of last month, six months after his appointment.

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