Yoon's Closest Ally Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety Nominee: "Long Judicial Career, Nominated Due to Sense of Fairness and Justice"

Lack of Relevant Administrative Experience Criticized, "Currently Enrolled in Department of Safety and Disaster Management"
"Devoting Full Effort to Ensure Fair and Safe Local Elections"

Minister of the Interior and Safety nominee Sang-min Lee is arriving for his first day at the hearing preparation office set up in the Platinum Building, Gwanghwamun, Seoul on the 14th. Photo by Mo Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Candidate for Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min stated that he was nominated by President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol due to his sense of fairness and justice acquired from his long career as a judge.

On the morning of the 14th at 9:25 a.m., on his way to his first day at the temporary office set up at the Seoul Records Information Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to prepare for the confirmation hearing, Candidate Lee spoke with reporters and said this.

Candidate Lee said, "The main reason President-elect Yoon nominated me is because of the sense of fairness and justice I acquired through my long tenure as a judge," adding, "(President-elect Yoon) told me to work hard because this is a key department for national administration."

He continued, "I consider it an immense honor to be appointed to a pivotal department responsible for national administration that must create a safe and efficient government and local autonomy to build a country where everyone prospers evenly," and added, "I will do my utmost to assist the president in national administration."

Regarding criticisms about his limited administrative experience and the management of the June local elections, he said, "I will undergo verification during the confirmation hearing process. I am currently enrolled in the Department of Safety and Disaster Management," and added, "I will devote all my efforts to ensuring that the local elections are fair and safe."

Originally from Jeonbuk, Candidate Lee is a junior of President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, who graduated from Chungam High School and Seoul National University Law School, and is classified as one of Yoon's closest aides. A former judge, he served as vice chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission during the Park Geun-hye administration, and immediately after this presidential election, he was appointed as a special advisor for external cooperation to the Presidential Transition Committee and was active in that role.

President-elect Yoon stated the day before, "He is a rare legal professional who has accumulated diverse administrative experience," and explained the reason for his nomination as "the right person to realize transparent and efficient public personnel management and administration with clear principles and predictable standards."

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