"Claims Excluding Investigation Chiefs from Cabinet Are Unreasonable": President Lee Shares AI Response

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung stated that claims arguing the head of the Prosecution Agency or the head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency should not sit in on Cabinet meetings are unconstitutional and unreasonable. This is seen as a direct rebuttal to criticism over the alleged "undermining of political neutrality" after Kim Ji-yong, head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, attended a Cabinet meeting for the first time yesterday (October 20).

Kang Chungwan reports.

[Reporter]

President Lee Jae-myung posted on his social media this morning that he asked the artificial intelligence language model Gemini, and stated that the argument against the heads of the Prosecution Agency and the Major Crimes Investigation Agency attending Cabinet meetings is an unconstitutional and unreasonable claim.

He called demands to exclude the heads of the Prosecution Agency and the Major Crimes Investigation Agency from Cabinet meetings a sophistry that directly denies the president's administrative supervisory power and the structure of government governance stipulated by the Constitution and the Government Organization Act. As grounds, he cited Article 11 of the Government Organization Act, which states, "The President, as the head of the government, directs and supervises the heads of all central administrative agencies in accordance with laws and regulations," and Article 66, Paragraph 4 of the Constitution, which states, "Executive power shall be vested in the Executive Branch headed by the President."

In another post, President Lee wrote that both the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Agency are merely agencies under the direction of the president, adding, "You do not need to worry, as I will not direct investigations into specific cases."

This served as a direct refutation after criticism arose, mainly from opposition parties, alleging a breach of political neutrality when Kim Ji-yong, the inaugural chief of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, attended a Cabinet meeting for the first time yesterday.

[Kim Ji-yong / Head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "I will successfully establish the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, complete prosecution reform, and do my utmost to protect the rights and interests of the public. Thank you."]

Controversy has continued, with the civic group People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy also issuing a statement on October 16 saying that "regular attendance at Cabinet meetings by heads of related agencies, including the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Agency, should be refrained from and avoided."

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok demanded a proper investigation into matters concerning the presidential office and the ruling party, saying, "Before the ink on his appointment letter is even dry, Chief Kim attended a Cabinet meeting first, creating a situation where politics is turning into investigations rather than putting an end to the politicization of investigations."

(Camera: Jeong Sang-bo, Yoon Hyeong | Video Editing: Wi Won-yang)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.