What did Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol say about the special counsel probe into alleged fabricated indictments against Lee Jae Myung?

Lee said the probe should focus on uncovering the truth and that he would watch its fact-finding without presumptions or prejudice. He declined to say whether he would order an investigation based on its findings, noting that the special counsel had not yet launched.

Why does the People Power Party oppose the special counsel bill on alleged fabricated indictments against Lee Jae Myung?

The PPP says the probe is aimed at ultimately canceling indictments against the president. It suspects Lee Yong-cheol could use his authority to direct prosecutors to drop them if the special counsel concludes they were fabricated.

What changes to prosecutors’ powers did Korea make, and what role do prosecutors now have?

Korea removed prosecutors’ investigative powers last month after long-standing criticism that they wielded excessive authority. They are now primarily tasked with indicting and prosecuting criminal cases, and Lee Yong-cheol said implementing the recent criminal justice changes would be a priority if he is confirmed.

Justice minister nominee reiterates special counsel role over indictments against Lee

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Summary

Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol reiterated Wednesday that a special counsel probe into allegedly fabricated indictments against President Lee Jae Myung should focus on uncovering the truth. He declined to say whether he would seek to drop the indictments, saying the special counsel had not yet begun its work. The People Power Party has criticized the bill as an effort to cancel the president’s indictments. Lee also pledged to prioritize implementing recent criminal justice changes if confirmed.

Key Facts

Lee said he would observe the special counsel’s fact-finding without presumptions or prejudice.
Former Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho, who resigned in August, said the prosecution should decide whether to withdraw an indictment against the president.
The National Assembly passed the special counsel bill last week, and the nominee said the special counsel had yet to launch.
Korea stripped prosecutors of their investigative powers last month, leaving them primarily responsible for indicting and prosecuting criminal cases.
Minister nominees must undergo parliamentary confirmation hearings, but parliamentary consent is not required for the president to appoint them.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 11, 2026 10:58 am KST

Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol speaks to reporters at his office in southern Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol on Wednesday reiterated that a special counsel probe into allegedly fabricated indictments against President Lee Jae Myung should focus on uncovering the truth, declining to offer a clear stance on whether he would seek to drop the indictments.

His remarks come after the National Assembly passed the special counsel bill last week, which the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has criticized as being aimed at ultimately canceling all indictments against the president.

"As I said earlier, now is the time to focus on uncovering the truth, while there is no change to my stance that the rest should follow the law and principles," the nominee told reporters outside his office.

He earlier emphasized the role of the special counsel probe Monday following his nomination Friday.

When asked about whether he would order an investigation based on the special counsel probe results, the nominee declined to comment, noting that the special counsel has yet to even launch.

"I will watch the special counsel's fact-finding activities without any presumptions or prejudice," he said.

Former Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho, who resigned from office in August, previously said the decision on whether to withdraw an indictment targeting the president was a matter for the prosecution to determine.

The PPP suspects that Lee, if appointed, could exert his authority to order the prosecution to drop indictments against President Lee in the event the special counsel investigation concludes they were fabricated.

The nominee said he felt a heavy sense of responsibility following his nomination and pledged to prioritize implementing recent changes to the criminal justice system if he is confirmed to the role.

Korea last month stripped prosecutors of their investigative powers, leaving them primarily tasked with indicting and prosecuting criminal cases amid long-standing criticism that they wielded excessive authority.

By law, all minister nominees are required to undergo parliamentary confirmation hearings, but parliamentary consent is not required for the president to appoint them.

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