PPP leader pushes back on Lee's claim that failing to oversee agency would be grounds for impeachment
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok on Thursday sharply rebuked President Lee Jae Myung's remarks about presidential responsibility for overseeing the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, calling them "absurd deflection."
Jang wrote on his Facebook page that "the authority to direct and supervise administrative agencies and the political neutrality of investigative bodies are entirely separate matters," adding that having the head of an investigative agency attend Cabinet meetings "is an even more distinct issue."
Lee had pushed back against growing controversy over the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency chief's attendance at Cabinet meetings, arguing that directing and supervising state affairs is both a presidential authority and a responsibility. Jang said in response: "No matter how I look at it, this is not normal."
He said Lee had gone further, posing what he called a baffling question — asking whether the president was being told not to oversee the agency at all.
Jang dismissed the framing, saying the solution was not to seat the agency chief at Cabinet meetings but to work through the relevant minister. "That is the principle the Republic of Korea has upheld until now," he said.
On Lee's reference to avoiding behind-closed-doors oversight, Jang shot back: "Does having the agency chief attend Cabinet meetings eliminate backroom directives?" He then asked whether the decision by accomplices in the Daejang-dong case to drop their appeals was not itself a secret, behind-closed-doors instruction.
"Since I answered the president's question, I will ask one of my own," Jang said, pressing his criticism further. He asked Lee directly whether it was acceptable to halt a sitting president's trial in violation of the Constitution and the law.
He also asked whether impeaching someone for refusing to appoint a Supreme Court justice handpicked by the president was not "forced and unconstitutional," adding: "These are not my questions — they are the people's questions. Is he going to ask Gemini about these too?"
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