Lee Jong-seop to Attend Yoon Impeachment Hearing... "I Will Take an Oath and Testify"

"Appear, Take an Oath, and Testify"

Lee Jong-seop, former Minister of National Defense, who was selected as a witness for the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's hearing on the presidential impeachment petition scheduled for the 19th, has expressed his intention to attend the hearing, take an oath, and testify.

Kim Jae-hoon, the legal representative of former Minister Lee, stated in a press notice on the morning of the same day, "As previously mentioned, there are doubts about the legality of the hearing procedure itself, but former Minister Lee judged that he could not refuse to attend and bear the judicial risk of contempt for refusal to appear," adding, "He will attend, take an oath, and testify confidently."

Former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop. [Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim also said, "During the previous legislative hearing, when former Minister Lee refused to take an oath based on constitutional and legal guarantees, he was not only denied a proper opportunity to respond, but despite testifying truthfully according to his memory, he was misunderstood as refusing the oath to give false testimony," and added, "To dispel such misunderstandings and to obtain sufficient opportunity to testify, he will also take the witness oath."

The National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee will hold the first hearing at 10 a.m. that day, focusing on allegations of external pressure in the investigation of the death of Corporal Chae Mo, and the request to propose the impeachment motion against President Yoon. This hearing is being led by opposition parties including the Democratic Party of Korea.

Earlier, the Democratic Party had selected 22 witnesses for the hearing, including former Minister Lee Jong-seop, former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Lim Seong-geun, Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik, and Director of the National Intelligence Service Cho Tae-yong. However, it is known that Minister Shin and Director Cho submitted letters of non-attendance to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.