President Lee Moves to Reinstate 'Special Inspection Team' Abolished by Yoon... Coordination with 'Special Inspector' Remains an Issue

Rebuilding an Organization Specified in the Presidential Secretariat's Regulations
Inspection of Senior Officials and Presidential Relatives
Considering Dispatching 12 Personnel from the Prosecution, Police, National Tax Service, and Board of Audit and Inspection
President Lee Also Pursuing Appointment of a 'Special Inspector'...
Adjustment of Inspection Scope May Be Necessary

President Lee Jaemyung is moving to reinstate the 'Special Inspection Team,' which was abolished by former President Yoon Sukyeol. However, as the appointment of a Special Inspector in charge of monitoring the president's relatives?a key campaign pledge of President Lee?is also being pursued, coordination between the two initiatives is expected to be necessary.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the presidential office and the ruling party on August 6, the Office of Civil Affairs under the Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs is considering operating the Special Inspection Team by dispatching 12 personnel from four agencies: the prosecution, the police, the National Tax Service, and the Board of Audit and Inspection.

The Special Inspection Team is an organization stipulated in the Presidential Secretariat's organizational regulations. However, in 2022, former President Yoon abolished the Office of Civil Affairs, which included the Special Inspection Team, in response to calls to eliminate the remnants of civilian surveillance. Nevertheless, as issues regarding discipline among public officials persisted, the administration faced criticism for operating alternative teams, such as establishing a 'Separate Team' under the Office of Public Service Discipline and a new 'Information Team 3' within the Prime Minister's Office for Public Service Management.

Article 7 of the Presidential Secretariat's organizational regulations stipulates that an inspection team shall be established within the Presidential Secretariat to carry out inspection duties on the president's orders. The targets of the Special Inspection Team's oversight include senior public officials of grade 2 or higher in the executive branch, heads and executives of public institutions and organizations, the president's relatives, and individuals with special relationships to the president. The Special Inspection Team is responsible for collecting various information on these individuals and, if necessary, referring cases for investigation.

Given that the inspection activities of the Special Inspection Team have been a source of controversy under successive administrations, if the team is reinstated, it will be necessary to clearly redefine its composition, operational principles, and scope of duties. During the Park Geunhye administration, Woo Byungwoo, the former Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, was indicted on charges of ordering illegal surveillance of public officials and civilians, but was acquitted by the Supreme Court only in 2021. Under the Moon Jaein administration, Kim Taewoo, a former member of the Special Inspection Team, raised allegations that he had illegally investigated Kim Kihyun, then-mayor of Ulsan. As opposition party pressure mounted, one member of the Special Inspection Team took their own life.

In addition, as the appointment of a 'Special Inspector'?tasked with monitoring the president's spouse, relatives within the fourth degree, and senior officials at the level of chief presidential secretaries or higher?is being pursued, detailed coordination is required. During the presidential campaign, President Lee pledged to reinstate the Special Inspector position, which had remained vacant for nine years, and instructed aides at a presidential office staff meeting to review the appointment process. At a press conference marking one month since his inauguration on August 3, President Lee stated, "I have requested the National Assembly to recommend candidates for the Special Inspector."

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