Controversy erupts over president's appointment of ex-defense lawyer to key post

Lee Jae Myung, then-presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, greets supporters as he arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, April 29. Lee faced corruption allegations related to a 2015 urban redevelopment project when he was mayor of Seongnam in 2015. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

President Lee Jae Myung appointed attorney Cho Won-chul as the new head of the Ministry of Government Legislation on Sunday, sparking controversy for naming a former defense lawyer from one of the criminal cases in which Lee was a defendant.

The appointment drew criticism amid a series of high-level government posts being filled by lawyers who previously represented the president, with some already named to key secretary-level positions at the presidential office.

Cho, who served as a judge for more than 20 years before becoming a lawyer in 2015, represented the president in a corruption scandal tied to an urban redevelopment project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

Cho Won-chul / Courtesy of the Office of the President

In 2015, under Lee’s leadership as mayor, Seongnam launched a property development project in the Daejang-dong area. However, the project limited Seongnam Development Corp.’s earnings to 182.2 billion won ($132.34 million), regardless of total profits, leaving the rest to private developers.

After completion, the corporation received its capped share, while private developers raked in over 400 billion won — more than double. Although the corporation’s profits were limited, the developers enjoyed huge returns on their investments.

The key question is whether the contract terms were structured deliberately to benefit private developers — and if so, whether Lee was aware of it and played a role in the decision.

The initial ruling on breach of trust and related charges involving private developers in the scandal is scheduled for Oct. 31, nearly four years after the indictment.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings involving the president are effectively on hold, as Article 84 of the Constitution states that a sitting president cannot be criminally prosecuted while in office, except in cases of treason or insurrection.

The main opposition People Power Party criticized Cho’s appointment, calling it a blatant act of political favoritism.

“Key posts at the heart of power are being filled one after another with lawyers who defended the president against criminal allegations,” Rep. Song Eon-seog, floor leader of the party and chair of its emergency committee, said Monday. “It’s a disgraceful appointment dragging the country toward becoming a republic of corruption.”

In response to the controversy, Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, defended the appointment, saying it would be wrong to disqualify someone solely because they once represented the president in court.

“If Cho is unqualified and was appointed only because he represented the president, that would be a problem,” Woo said in a radio interview with MBC on Monday. “But Cho has sufficient qualifications and capabilities, and was chosen based on merit. He is also well regarded and widely seen as competent within the legal community.”