Korea Internet & Security Agency President Lee Sang-joong answers lawmakers' questions at a National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee national audit on Oct. 15. [Yonhap]
Korea Internet & Security Agency President Lee Sang-joong answers lawmakers' questions at a National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee national audit on Oct. 15. [Yonhap]

Korea Internet & Security Agency President Lee Sang-joong has been dismissed over allegations of falsifying a résumé and misusing a corporate credit card.

Lee expressed regret over the decision, saying Lee would seek to verify the appropriateness of the dismissal through the necessary procedures.

To minimize disruption to operations, KISA appointed Ryu Jae-cheol, a professor at Chungnam National University, as acting president.

According to KISA and industry sources, the dismissal order for Lee received final approval Wednesday. The move came roughly two months after KISA's board of directors voted to recommend the dismissal.

Lee had faced criticism since February following audits by the presidential office's Public Service Discipline Secretariat and the Ministry of Science and ICT, which flagged issues with listed career history, use of operational funds and budget management.

The matter also drew fire at the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee national audit on Oct. 15.

Lee denied the résumé falsification allegations, saying Lee had in fact carried out the relevant duties, and maintained that the audit findings on corporate card use and other matters were procedurally flawed.

In a social media post Wednesday, Lee pushed back against the dismissal decision, writing that Lee had "never sought personal gain or provided improper favors." Lee also wrote that Lee "cannot help but have serious doubts about whether dismissal was necessary when just over two months remained in my term." Lee added that "while public officials must be held to a strict standard, sanctions must also be proportionate to the severity of the wrongdoing," and said Lee would pursue the appropriate procedures to challenge the decision.

Meanwhile, KISA named Ryu Jae-cheol, a non-standing director and professor in the Department of Computer Convergence at Chungnam National University, as acting president. Ryu was set to begin official duties Thursday.


sjpark@heraldcorp.com