Allegations have emerged that Lee Yong-cheol, the nominee for Minister of Justice, misreported his agricultural land as a building and site in order to avoid speculation accusations. The People Power Party criticized Lee as a close associate of President Lee Jae-myung, claiming he was appointed to mitigate the president's legal risks, while the Democratic Party countered that these accusations are baseless political attacks.
On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo held a press conference at the National Assembly, revealing that a container without a permit had been installed on agricultural land purchased by Lee in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, in May 2021. He pointed out that when registering his assets as a public official, Lee reported the land as a building and site related to plant and animal facilities.
Joo criticized, "He reported it as a building and site to avoid speculation allegations, which is a trick to evade scrutiny."
The proximity of the agricultural land to a vacation home that Lee gifted to his daughter has also raised suspicions. Joo noted that the land is being used like a yard or garden for the vacation home, calling it a typical speculative behavior often seen in the metropolitan area.
Given that the Ministry of Justice oversees the prosecution office, People Power Party members have called for Lee to clarify his stance on the prosecution's dismissal of charges against President Lee. Park Seong-hoon, the party's chief spokesperson, referred to Lee as a "pawn in the dismissal of charges," emphasizing that he has not made a clear statement on the issue.
The Democratic Party dismissed these allegations as a "political offensive." Floor spokesperson Lee Joo-hee pointed out that the People Power Party has failed to provide any evidence for their claims against Lee. Spokesperson Shin Hyun-young also stated that Lee is the right person to lead justice administration centered on the people, asserting that the opposition's attacks are unfounded.
As the political battle continues following Lee's nomination as Minister of Justice, there are predictions that clashes between the ruling and opposition parties will intensify during the upcoming confirmation hearings. Issues surrounding the Gwangju agricultural land, connections to the Daejang-dong scandal, and the controversy over the dismissal of charges against President Lee are expected to be key points of contention during the hearings.
Meanwhile, Lee has previously worked with President Lee at the law firm Saegil before the president was elected mayor of Seongnam. During the president's tenure as mayor, Lee served as a member of the transition committee and as the CEO of the Seongnam Industry Promotion Foundation, categorizing him as part of the so-called "Seongnam line" of appointments.
On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo held a press conference at the National Assembly, revealing that a container without a permit had been installed on agricultural land purchased by Lee in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, in May 2021. He pointed out that when registering his assets as a public official, Lee reported the land as a building and site related to plant and animal facilities.
Joo criticized, "He reported it as a building and site to avoid speculation allegations, which is a trick to evade scrutiny."
The proximity of the agricultural land to a vacation home that Lee gifted to his daughter has also raised suspicions. Joo noted that the land is being used like a yard or garden for the vacation home, calling it a typical speculative behavior often seen in the metropolitan area.
Given that the Ministry of Justice oversees the prosecution office, People Power Party members have called for Lee to clarify his stance on the prosecution's dismissal of charges against President Lee. Park Seong-hoon, the party's chief spokesperson, referred to Lee as a "pawn in the dismissal of charges," emphasizing that he has not made a clear statement on the issue.
The Democratic Party dismissed these allegations as a "political offensive." Floor spokesperson Lee Joo-hee pointed out that the People Power Party has failed to provide any evidence for their claims against Lee. Spokesperson Shin Hyun-young also stated that Lee is the right person to lead justice administration centered on the people, asserting that the opposition's attacks are unfounded.
As the political battle continues following Lee's nomination as Minister of Justice, there are predictions that clashes between the ruling and opposition parties will intensify during the upcoming confirmation hearings. Issues surrounding the Gwangju agricultural land, connections to the Daejang-dong scandal, and the controversy over the dismissal of charges against President Lee are expected to be key points of contention during the hearings.
Meanwhile, Lee has previously worked with President Lee at the law firm Saegil before the president was elected mayor of Seongnam. During the president's tenure as mayor, Lee served as a member of the transition committee and as the CEO of the Seongnam Industry Promotion Foundation, categorizing him as part of the so-called "Seongnam line" of appointments.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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