Former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, who is accused of aiding and abetting insurrection, reportedly applied for retirement benefits one week after his resignation. This timing was the day after the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol.
According to data received on the 16th by Yang Bu-nam, a member of the National Assembly's Administrative and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Government Employees Pension Service, former Minister Lee applied for retirement benefits through the internet on December 15 of last year. He requested retirement benefits for his approximately 2 years and 8 months of service as Minister of the Interior and Safety from May 2022 to December of last year. The reason for retirement was stated as "general retirement," and the disciplinary status was noted as "present (investigation ongoing)."
The day former Minister Lee applied for retirement benefits was one week after he voluntarily expressed his intention to resign on December 8. This day was also the day after the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol was passed, resulting in the suspension of his duties.
Former Minister Lee is a key figure in the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, known as part of the so-called "Chungam faction." After President Yoon declared martial law on the 3rd of last month, and the National Assembly passed a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law, he was among those gathered at the Yongsan Presidential Security House on the 4th. When the Democratic Party of Korea submitted an impeachment motion against him on the 7th, former Minister Lee expressed his intention to resign the following day, the 8th.
At that time, President Yoon had declared that he would not interfere in state affairs, but controversy arose as he accepted former Minister Lee’s resignation and approved his dismissal. Dismissal is a simple administrative or personnel action based on the individual's intention to resign, not a disciplinary measure, and when a public official is dismissed, there are no restrictions on the payment of retirement benefits.
Former Minister Lee was paid 3,055,000 KRW in salary in December, the month he resigned. This salary was calculated on a pro-rata basis as of the 8th, the date of his retirement. The amount of retirement benefits is currently under review and has not yet been finalized.
Former Minister Lee is also suspected of participating in the insurrection by ordering power and water cuts to media outlets immediately after the declaration of martial law. Previously, former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, who is being tried as the main perpetrator of the insurrection, was also reported to have applied for retirement benefits before being arrested by prosecutors, drawing public criticism.
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