Jokuk on Lee Seon-gyun's Death News: "It Doesn't Feel Like Someone Else's Problem... Anger Surges"

Actor Lee Seon-gyun Passes Away on the 27th
Former Minister Cho Kuk Criticizes Police, Prosecutors, and Media

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk expressed his feelings on the 27th regarding the death of actor Lee Seon-gyun, saying, "It does not feel like someone else's issue. I am filled with anger."

On the same day, Cho stated on Facebook, "There have been more than a few people who have taken extreme measures while under investigation by the prosecution and police. However, the investigative authorities do not take responsibility," adding, "Only those who suffer deep internal wounds and choose death become the weak."

He continued, "The prosecution and police possess and exercise the strongest form of 'legal violence' under normal circumstances," and said, "Anyone who becomes the target of this power experiences a mental breakdown."

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial for charges of school admission fraud involving his children and obstruction of inspection, is attending the continued second trial held at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 18th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Former Minister Cho also criticized reckless media coverage. He said, "The media sympathizes with this and mocks, slanders, and insults the target," adding, "They leak unconfirmed suspect information, report on it, and socially bury the target." He further wrote, "The presumption of innocence, the rights and defense of suspects exist only in law books and textbooks," and explained, "During my short tenure as minister in 2019, I revised the public relations guidelines to prevent the disclosure of suspect information but decided to postpone their implementation until after family investigations. However, the prosecution and media criticized me indiscriminately."

Lee, who had been under police investigation following drug use allegations raised in October, was found dead in his own vehicle parked near a park in Seoul on the morning of the same day.

As Lee was a suspect at the time of his death, the police plan to close the investigation related to him due to lack of prosecution.

※ If you or someone around you is experiencing difficult feelings such as depression or other hard-to-talk-about concerns, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling through the Suicide Prevention Hotline ☎1393, Mental Health Counseling Hotline ☎1577-0199, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, Youth Hotline ☎1388, the youth mobile counseling app 'Da Deureojul Gae,' KakaoTalk, and other services.