President Lee Jae-myung said he had not read the provisions of the revised Criminal Procedure Act during a government meeting on Aug. 5 [1].
The admission has triggered a political firestorm in Seoul because the law governs the legal authority of prosecutors to conduct investigations. The remark comes one day after the cabinet approved the amendment, raising questions about the administration's grasp of its own legislative agenda.
During a departmental work report at the presidential office, Lee asked whether the revised law prohibits prosecutors from investigating [1]. After receiving confirmation that the legal basis for such investigations had been removed, Lee said that he had not read the specific text of the law [1].
The comments drew immediate and sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. A spokesperson for the People Power Party said the president's "mental world is strange" [1].
Opposition members were equally critical of the exchange. A spokesperson for the Democratic Party said the remark was an "all-time great blunder" [1].
The debate centers on the shift in prosecutorial power following the cabinet's approval of the amendment. By admitting he was unfamiliar with the text, Lee has provided political ammunition to critics who argue the administration is disconnected from the legal mechanisms it is implementing [1].
“"I haven't read the revised Criminal Procedure Act," — President Lee Jae-myung”
This incident highlights a significant friction point in South Korean governance regarding the separation of investigative and prosecutorial powers. The president's admission of unfamiliarity with a law approved by his own cabinet suggests a potential gap between executive policy goals and the technical execution of legislation, which opposition parties are now leveraging to question his leadership competence.
