President Yoon Likely to Reject 'Lee Dismissal Proposal'

Presidential Office: "Those with significant authority bear responsibility, but it must be within the investigation results"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Democratic Party of Korea plans to put the motion to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min to a vote on the last day of the regular National Assembly session on the 9th. Meanwhile, inside the Presidential Office, there is a sentiment that the dismissal motion is "unjust." It appears highly likely that President Yoon Suk-yeol will reject the motion even if it is passed.

Several senior officials from the Presidential Office told Asia Economy in a phone interview that regarding the Democratic Party's vote on the dismissal motion against Minister Lee, "It is true that those with greater authority should bear greater responsibility, but it must be based on clear investigative results," adding, "It makes no sense to propose a dismissal motion with a predetermined conclusion." This reflects the view that Minister Lee cannot be held directly responsible while the Police Agency’s Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit), which is investigating the Itaewon tragedy, is conducting supplementary investigations after the court once rejected the arrest warrant for former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae, who was the on-site commander during the incident.

In particular, Minister Lee is included as a subject of the parliamentary audit, and the Presidential Office has consistently emphasized that responsibility will be taken according to the results of the audit. Despite this, the fact that the dismissal motion was brought to a vote is seen as a contradictory political act by the opposition party, creating a somewhat tense atmosphere. A senior official from the Presidential Office said, "The purpose of the (Itaewon tragedy) parliamentary audit is to identify the cause and responsibility of the incident and to prevent recurrence," adding, "With a parliamentary audit?a political act aimed at achieving this purpose?already scheduled, is it really appropriate to first submit a dismissal motion against one of the key witnesses?" expressing a negative view.

Furthermore, the Presidential Office considers it unreasonable to link the budget bill with the dismissal motion in making a judgment. Moreover, with the recent revelation that President Yoon summoned Minister Lee to the Blue House for a meeting, political circles are interpreting this as a show of support. However, unlike the dismissal motion against Foreign Minister Park Jin in September, when the Presidential Office openly opposed it before the plenary session by questioning whether it was a matter warranting dismissal, political analysts note that the office is being cautious about making a public statement this time. It is believed that this reflects concerns that expressing a position to retain Minister Lee in advance could entangle the office in political strife.

The Presidential Office plans to issue an official statement naturally if the dismissal motion is processed in the plenary session. A key official from the Presidential Office said at a meeting with reporters the previous day, "We hope it will not be processed, but if it is, we will naturally express our position."