Defense minister offers to resign amid criticisms of Marine's death

President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Tuesday, with Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup present.

Resignation offer raises speculation about additional Cabinet reshuffle

By Nam Hyun-woo

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup has offered to resign amid criticisms of the ministry's controversial handling of investigations into the death of a Marine during a search-and-rescue operation.

The move came as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) seeks to pass a motion on impeaching the minister, which will suspend him from his job and freeze President Yoon Suk Yeol's authority to replace him for months until the Constitutional Court makes a decision.

The ruling bloc claims the decision is to prevent a leadership vacuum in the military amid North Korea's evolving missile and nuclear threats, while the DPK argues that Lee's resignation is not enough, dropping hints at further political offensives on the issue.

A local broadcaster first reported, Tuesday, that Lee had expressed to the presidential office his intention to resign. Lee said it was his decision to “prevent a vacuum in national security” because “it will be a hefty burden for the government if I offer to resign before the impeachment attempt.”

The presidential office said it will not confirm until the final decision is reached, but an official at the office noted that “there will be a detailed explanation on the background of this matter, how a successor was chosen, and how policies will unfold.”

Lee has been facing criticism over the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun, a 20-year-old Marine who died in July when he was swept away by a swift current while searching for missing residents near a stream.

Opposition lawmakers have been alleging that the minister used his influence on the Marine Corps' initial probe into Chae's death and attempted to prevent the investigation from being transferred to the police.

Also, the resignation offer came amid speculation that Yoon may replace Lee as well as the culture and gender equality ministers as early as this week to refresh his control on state affairs. Sources said multiple candidates, including ruling People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Shin Won-sik, have already gone through vetting processes.

Gaining attention is the timing of Lee's replacement. In recent weeks, the DPK has been discussing Lee's impeachment, and said Tuesday, just minutes before Lee's intention to resign was reported, that it would propose the impeachment motion during its lawmakers' meeting on Thursday.

Since the DPK holds the majority of seats in the National Assembly, it could pass the motion unilaterally. The National Assembly Act stipulates that the person against whom the motion has been passed will be suspended from exercising power, and the president cannot dismiss or accept the person's resignation.

The suspension would continue until the Constitutional Court makes its verdict on the motion, which usually takes months, meaning the defense ministry could be left without a chief for months.

The Yoon administration has already experienced a similar case, when Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min faced an impeachment motion over a deadly crowd disaster that killed at least 158 people in central Seoul's Itaewon last year. He had been suspended from his job for 167 days until the Constitutional Court rejected the motion in July.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, second from left, attends a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in central Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

Following reports that Lee has offered to resign, the DPK said his resignation is not enough, and further fact-finding efforts are required on the Marine's death.

“We believe that the resignation by the minister himself, not a dismissal, isn't enough,” DPK floor spokesperson Rep. Kim Han-kyu said.

Kim said it would become impossible to impeach the minister if he resigns. “We still believe that we have to find what happened and those who are responsible need to be punished,” he added.

“Since a special counsel probe on Lee is already tabled, we will ask questions about the issue during Wednesday's Legislation and Judiciary Committee session, and will continue digging into this case even if the defense minister is replaced.”

The PPP is viewing Lee's resignation as an effort to prevent a vacuum in the country's national security.

PPP senior spokesperson Rep. Yoo Sang-bum said in a radio interview with broadcaster MBC Tuesday that if “the minister resigns before the impeachment, the subject of impeachment is gone, making the attempt meaningless.”

He added, “If the DPK is willing to impeach (the minister) despite the anticipated vacuum in the country's national security, such a way (having the minister resign) can be considered, inevitably.”