Geum Tae-seop to President Moon: "I Want to See a Leader Who Takes Responsibility"

New Deputy Minister of Justice: Former Judge and Lawyer Yonggu Lee
Geum Tae-seop Calls It the "Worst Message"

Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, who left the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a lecture at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 18th at the People Power Party's freshman lawmakers' meeting 'Myeongbulheojeon'.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, who left the Democratic Party of Korea, directly criticized President Moon Jae-in on the 3rd regarding the disciplinary actions against Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, saying, "I want to see a leader who takes responsibility."

On the same day, Geum posted on his Facebook, stating, "The worst message. The public is anxious and frustrated." Along with this, he shared a news article link containing the content that "President Moon instructed to exclude the new Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu from the position of chairperson of the disciplinary committee for the Prosecutor General."

Geum's remarks appear to point out President Moon's consistent silence amid the conflict between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

Lee Yong-gu, the newly appointed Vice Minister of Justice, is answering questions from reporters as he arrives at the Government Complex Gwacheon on the 3rd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, former Deputy Minister of Justice Ko Ki-young submitted his resignation on the 30th of last month ahead of the convening of the disciplinary committee for Prosecutor General Yoon. Consequently, the Ministry of Justice postponed the disciplinary committee meeting, which was to discuss whether and to what extent to discipline Prosecutor General Yoon, from the 2nd to the 4th.

The Ministry of Justice appointed lawyer Lee Yong-gu (56, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 23) as the new Deputy Minister of Justice to succeed former Deputy Minister Ko. Unlike Ko, who was a former prosecutor, Lee is a former judge.

During his tenure, he was an active core member of the reform-oriented judges' group 'Uri Law Research Association' and was involved in President Moon Jae-in's election campaign committee during the last presidential election, classifying him as a figure close to the current administration.

After the Moon administration took office, in August 2017, he was appointed as the first non-prosecutor to serve as the head of the Legal Affairs Office at the Ministry of Justice, serving for 2 years and 8 months.