People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo designated Lee Yong-chul as an agent for President Lee Jae-myung following the nomination of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration chief for justice minister, thepublic.kr reported on November 6, 2026.
Lawmaker Accuses Justice Minister Nominee of Acting as Indictment Cancellation Agent
- Lawmaker Joo Jin-woo accused newly nominated Justice Minister candidate Lee Yong-chul of acting strictly as an agent to execute the cancellation of President Lee Jae-myung’s criminal indictments.
- The nomination coincided with the Democratic Party’s push for the so-called “manipulated indictment special prosecutor act.”
- Opposition critics highlighted Lee Yong-chul’s past role in 2010 on the Seongnam municipal facility management corporation recommendation committee involving Daejondong figures.
Nominating Lee Yong-chul for Justice Minister
President Lee Jae-myung’s administration announced the nomination of Defense Acquisition Program Administration chief Lee Yong-chul for the post of justice minister during a presidential briefing. The presidential office described the nominee as a former attorney with Lawyers for a Democratic Society who focused on protecting human rights and democratic values. The office also cited his past service as a senior presidential secretary for civil affairs and legal secretary under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, where he led anti-corruption institutional reforms.
Lawmaker Joo dismissed those qualifications in a public statement posted to Facebook. Joo argued that the nominee possesses no genuine expertise in legal administration or crime prevention.
Timing of the Special Prosecutor Act
Joo connected the timing of the ministerial nomination directly to ongoing legislative maneuvering by the ruling party. The opposition lawmaker pointed out that the administration named the justice minister candidate on the exact day the Democratic Party moved to unilaterally pass the disputed special prosecutor bill regarding alleged evidence manipulation.
Joo characterized the appointment as an explicit mission to secure the dismissal of ongoing criminal charges against the president. The mission is singular, to securely execute the cancellation of Lee Jae-myung’s indictments,
Joo wrote. The lawmaker declared the situation a conflict for the preservation of the constitutional order and the rule of law, confirming that the opposition party has initiated formal vetting of the nominee.
Daejangdong Development History Examined
Alongside the ministerial critique, Joo attached past reporting linking the nominee to the Daejangdong development scandal. Records indicate that Lee Yong-chul served as a member of the executive recommendation committee for the Seongnam City Facilities Management Corporation in 2010. During that process, he awarded high scores to Yoo Dong-gyu, who later emerged as a central figure in the Daejangdong land development controversy.
The People Power Party previously raised similar objections when the administration appointed Lee Yong-chul to lead the Defense Acquisition Program Administration last year, characterizing him at the time as a hidden architect of the Daejangdong gate. The presidential office responded by stating that officials accounted for this controversy during the internal vetting process and that the candidate will address the matter directly during upcoming parliamentary confirmation hearings.
| Key Role / Milestone | Period / Date | Affiliation / Context |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Secretary to the President | Roh Moo-hyun Administration | Blue House Civil Affairs Office |
| Seongnam Industry Promotion Foundation Head | 2011 | Local Seongnam Administration |
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