Presidential Office Says Claims About CIA and FBI Contacts During Yoon Prosecutor General Era "Don't Make Sense"

'FBI Director's Secret Visit to Korea and Presidential Run Suggestion' Claim
Presidential Office: "Meeting with FBI Director, an Issue Reported with Photos"

The Presidential Office dismissed on the 8th the claim by Lee Rae-gyeong, Honorary Director of Other Hundred Years, that President Yoon Seok-yeol, during his tenure as Prosecutor General, had contact with senior officials of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and that the U.S. subsequently deeply interfered in the South Korean presidential election, calling it "against common sense." Lee is a figure who was recently appointed as the Innovation Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea but resigned after 9 hours due to controversy over his past remarks about the 'Cheonan ship self-destruction.'

A key official from the Presidential Office met with reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office that afternoon and said, "Yesterday, someone (this Honorary Director) claimed that President Yoon met the CIA Director when he was Prosecutor General, but when that was proven false, he now claims that he secretly met the FBI Director and had various talks."

Regarding the Prosecutor General meeting the FBI Director, the official emphasized, "The FBI is an investigative agency, so it cooperates with South Korean investigative agencies. It is not the first time the FBI Director met the Prosecutor General. The details of that meeting were reported at the time, including photos."

Referring to the fact that there were five attendees each from the FBI and the prosecution side, the official criticized Lee's claim, saying, "Would the FBI Director discuss the next presidential election with the South Korean Prosecutor General in such a setting? Does that make sense? This is another bizarre case."

Lee Raekyung, Honorary Chairman of Other Hundred Years Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Lee Rae-gyeong claimed, "When President Yoon was Prosecutor General, he met the head of the CIA and showed an arrogant attitude, and after the meeting, Prosecutor General Yoon became bold, including on political and security issues, showing an arrogant attitude that even ignored President Moon Jae-in."

The Presidential Office also responded by calling it a "ridiculous story" and pointed out that it was "a very inappropriate behavior that disparages an allied country, the United States, and could break trust between allies."

However, Lee shared on social media a column stating that "In 2019, the FBI Director secretly visited South Korea, met Prosecutor General Yoon, and encouraged him to run for president."