President Lee Orders Investigation into Allegations of Forced Alcohol Consumption by Firefighters

President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a thorough investigation into allegations that firefighters were forced to consume alcohol and that requests for oversight were ignored, following the death of a firefighter last year. The Office for Government Policy Coordination immediately began its inquiry.

While attending the G7 summit in Europe, President Lee shared an article related to the case on X (formerly Twitter) and expressed his dismay, stating, "It is truly lamentable that such outdated public officials still exist."

He instructed that the investigation should cover the causes and circumstances surrounding the firefighter's death, as well as the neglect of oversight requests. He emphasized that the investigation should be conducted by the Office for Government Policy Coordination rather than the Fire Agency to ensure objectivity.

President Lee warned that if the investigation confirms the allegations of forced drinking and the dismissal of oversight requests, the maximum disciplinary actions, including criminal charges and civil liability claims, would be pursued to prevent any recurrence of workplace bullying or corruption in the country.

He also mentioned that he had directed actions within the Cabinet and extended his condolences to the deceased's family and friends.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination announced in a press release later that afternoon that it had commenced the investigation.

The office stated, "If the investigation reveals that forced drinking and the dismissal of oversight requests are indeed true, we will consider the maximum disciplinary actions, including criminal charges. Given the seriousness of the matter, we will conduct the investigation as swiftly as possible to clarify the facts thoroughly."

Additionally, President Lee commented on the government's decision to charge dismissed non-regular workers for legal costs after losing a lawsuit against the state, saying, "It is truly unfortunate, but we have no choice."

He explained that the court ruled against the workers, determining that their claims did not involve unlawful exercise of public authority, and thus ordered the workers to bear the legal costs. He noted that under current law, failing to pursue the costs would result in charges of breach of trust or neglect of duty.

President Lee stated, "We strive to exercise public authority lawfully and cautiously, but this case has already concluded with a final ruling. Unless overturned by a retrial, there is nothing the government can do."

The article shared by President Lee detailed how 123 non-regular workers, who participated in protests at the Supreme Court and Cheonggye Plaza in 2023, lost their lawsuit against the state and were subsequently required by the Ministry of Justice to pay 33.78 million won in legal fees.