Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Work Report
President Lee's Intense Questioning on Illegal Foreign Currency Outflows
Rebuke: "Three Years in Office, Yet Still Unfamiliar with Duties"
Order Issued for Comprehensive Inspection of Books as Countermeasure Against Cash Smuggling
Former Three-Term People Power Party Lawmaker Mentioned as Potential Incheon Mayoral Candidate
"You have been serving as President of Incheon International Airport Corporation for three years, yet it seems you still do not have a clear understanding of your work."
"I am asking whether it is possible or not, so why do you keep sidestepping the answer?"
"Are you spending your time elsewhere right now? When were you appointed?"
Lee Hakjae, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation, was put on the spot by President Lee Jaemyung's pointed questions. When President Lee failed to provide clear answers, the President raised his voice. Lee, a three-term lawmaker from the People Power Party, was appointed as President under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and is being mentioned as a potential People Power Party candidate for Incheon mayor in next year's local elections.
During a work report session with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and its affiliated public institutions held at the Sejong Convention Center on December 12, President Lee asked, "It is prohibited to take more than 10,000 dollars out of the country, but there are claims that people can slip tens of thousands of dollars in 100-dollar bills between the pages of a book and not get caught. Is this actually possible?" When President Lee replied, "We mainly screen for hazardous materials," President Lee said, "Please do not go off-topic. Answer the question I asked. Do you screen for illegal foreign currency outflows?"
When President Lee began to explain, "We work together with customs. Our main task is...," President Lee interrupted and clarified, "The question is whether it is possible to take a bundle of 100-dollar bills out of the country by hiding them in a book." When a clear answer still was not given, President Lee raised his voice again, saying, "You are being very long-winded. I am asking whether it is possible or not, so why do you keep going off-topic?" At this point, Prime Minister Kim Minseok also intervened and said, "Please just answer whether it is possible to check for cash exceeding 10,000 dollars." In the end, President Lee said, "This is a practical matter, so I do not know exactly."
Afterwards, when President Lee instructed President Lee to coordinate with customs on measures to prevent illegal cash outflows and President Lee did not respond immediately, President Lee said, "Are you spending your time elsewhere right now?" and asked when he was appointed and about his term. President Lee replied, "I became President in June 2023, and the term is three years." President Lee then reprimanded him, saying, "It has already been three years, but it seems you still do not have a clear understanding of your work."
The same situation unfolded when questions were raised about the status of the Egypt airport development project being pursued by Incheon International Airport. When President Lee asked about the progress of the Hurghada Airport development project in Egypt, President Lee replied, "There has been no practical progress on the capital airport." President Lee then rebuked him again, saying, "I was not asking about Cairo Airport."
When President Lee tried to find a staff member to answer questions about Hurghada Airport and was told by President Lee that no such person was present, President Lee said, "Other than what is written in the materials, you do not seem to know anything," and then said, "That is enough," before moving on to work reports from other agencies.
Later, just before the conclusion of the work report session for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and its affiliated public institutions, President Lee provided a supplementary answer to the earlier question, stating that "it is difficult to detect cash smuggling by inserting bills into books." President Lee then instructed that a thorough inspection of books be conducted at the airport to prevent illegal foreign currency outflows.
President Lee remarked, "People usually carry books to read; they do not put them in their bags to go through the security checkpoint. That is a bit suspicious," and said that books should be opened and checked. He continued, "Since people have watched the work report broadcast, they might now think, 'Oh, if I hide cash in a book, I will not get caught.' That should not happen," and ordered, "Pay special attention to this matter."
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