President Lee Hakjae: "Presidential Office's Illegal Personnel Intervention... Just Dismiss Me"

Lee Hakjae, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation, claimed that the Presidential Office exerted external pressure through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, instructing that no personnel appointments should be made until a new president is appointed.

On the 20th, President Lee held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall, stating, "I am here to inform the public about the Presidential Office's abuse of extralegal authority and the resulting risks," making these claims public.

He said, "Ahead of the regular personnel appointments scheduled for January 1 this year, there was continuous pressure from mid-December last year, citing the will of the Presidential Office, to refrain from making any personnel changes until the new head of the organization arrives."

Lee Hakjae, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation, is answering reporters' questions after holding a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 20th, claiming "illegal personnel intervention by the Presidential Office in the Incheon Airport Corporation." Photo by Yonhap News Agency

He further stated, "When I emphasized the inevitability of the regular appointments and refused to yield, illegal personnel intervention continued in the form of guidelines such as 'only implement appointments for positions below level 3,' 'switch to an acting manager system if a management position is vacant,' and 'report and obtain prior approval from the Presidential Office before implementing personnel changes.'"

He added, "Nevertheless, when we proceeded with the appointments in accordance with the law and principles, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conveyed explicit displeasure, saying, 'The Presidential Office is very uncomfortable with this.'"

In addition, President Lee mentioned that since the last presidential work report, Incheon International Airport Corporation has been subjected to an unprecedented special audit for the first time in ten years.

He said, "Following the controversy over the last Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport work report, the Chief of Staff to the President suddenly instructed the ministry to conduct an audit on the 'Incheon Airport valet parking service improvement plan,' and the spokesperson for the Presidential Office unusually briefed the public about it," adding, "There are widespread rumors that the Presidential Office is looking for another pretext."

Finally, President Lee said, "Officials at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, who are required to convey the Presidential Office's illegal instructions to the corporation and report the results, are anxious, fearing they will not be able to handle the consequences if their actions become public. The corporation's staff members are also distressed, reporting to me whenever illegal demands are made," urging, "The Presidential Office should just dismiss me as president instead."

Appointed in June 2023 during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, President Lee has been at odds with the Presidential Office since last month, after being publicly criticized for failing to provide a clear answer to President Lee Jaemyung's question about taking dollars out in a bookmark during a work report on December 12. President Lee's term is set to end on June 19.