South Korean Blue House defends presence of investigators at cabinet meetings

The Blue House has rejected claims that allowing heads of investigative agencies, such as the Major Crimes Investigation Agency (MCIA) and the Prosecution Office, to attend cabinet meetings constitutes political interference in investigations. Presidential spokesperson Seong Gi-hong stated that these meetings are intended for sharing national governance philosophies and discussing public welfare issues, rather than directing specific individual cases.

Seong emphasized that the administration remains committed to the fairness, political neutrality, and independence of investigations. He also addressed criticisms regarding President Lee Jae-myung’s use of the AI tool ‘Gemini’ to discuss the legal basis for these meetings, clarifying that the President used the tool to verify factual legal provisions rather than relying on it for governance decisions.

The move has sparked intense political conflict in South Korea. The ruling People Power Party criticized the directive, alleging it is a tactic to influence the President’s own ongoing trials. Conversely, the Democratic Party dismissed these concerns as “comedy,” arguing that transparent oversight through cabinet meetings is superior to clandestine investigative control.