Ex-vice justice minister under probe over taxi driver assault allegations
Former Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu / Yonhap
Former Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu was questioned by police Sunday over allegations that he pressured a taxi driver he assaulted to destroy related evidence and went unpunished.
Lee appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul to undergo questioning for the November case where Lee allegedly hurled insults at the driver and grabbed him by the collar in an intoxicated state when the man tried to wake him up after arriving at his home.
Police were called to the scene and let Lee go home after confirming his identity. But they later closed the case without booking Lee, as the taxi driver did not want him punished.
Lee was a lawyer at that time and was appointed vice minister on Dec. 2.
But fresh allegations have emerged that Lee demanded the taxi driver delete the footage from his dashboard camera to destroy evidence.
He offered to resign Friday, saying the ministry needs a new worker to better support the Moon Jae-in administration for its remaining one year. (Yonhap)