Bar Association Refers Lee Yong-gu to Disciplinary Committee for 'Taxi Driver Assault'

Former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The Korean Bar Association (KBA) has referred former Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, who was indicted on charges of assaulting a taxi driver, to the lawyer disciplinary committee.

According to the legal community on the 16th, the KBA recently decided unanimously through the disciplinary investigation committee to refer former Deputy Minister Lee to the disciplinary committee. The charge applied is a violation of the "duty to maintain dignity," and the level of discipline will be determined by the disciplinary committee.

Earlier, former Deputy Minister Lee was prosecuted for grabbing and pushing the collar of taxi driver Mr. A in front of his apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on November 6, 2020, while he was practicing as a lawyer (assault on a driver under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes). He is also accused of requesting the deletion of the black box video (obstruction of evidence).

At the first preparatory hearing held on the 27th of last month at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 32 (Presiding Judge Yoon Jongseop), the defense side stated, "We acknowledge the facts, but he was intoxicated and had impaired ability to distinguish objects and make decisions," and argued that "there was no intent to assault."

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