Lee Sang-min (born November 1965) is a South Korean lawyer and a former judge. From 2022 to 2024, he served as the Minister of the Interior and Safety in the Cabinet of President Yoon Suk-yeol.[1][2] He resigned in the aftermath of the 2024 South Korean martial law incident.
Lee Sang-min | |
|---|---|
| 이상민 | |
 Lee in 2024 | |
| Minister of the Interior and Safety | |
| In office 12 May 2022 – 8 December 2024 | |
| President | Yoon Suk Yeol |
| Prime Minister | Han Duck-soo |
| Preceded by | Jeon Hae-cheol |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 November 1965 Iksan, North Jeolla, South Korea |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Seoul National University (LLB) Korea University (MBA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  South Korea |
| Branch/service | Republic of Korea Air Force |
| Years of service | 1989–1992 |
| Rank | Captain (Korean: 대위) |
| Unit | Military advocate |
Career
editAs a minister of the MoIS, he is responsible for regional development, administrative innovation and public safety. He is recognized as one of the most powerful people in the current cabinet. After the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd crush, however, he had to offer an official apology to the victims, although the crush had occurred at a private festival place, Itaewon, of Halloween.[3] On 9 February 2023, he was impeached by the National Assembly, where opposition party was overwhelmingly in the majority, regarding the disaster, and was succeeded by his deputy Han Chang-seob in an acting capacity.[4] In the last resort, on 25 July 2023, the Constitutional Court of Korea rejected his impeachment, with a unanimous conclusion. The court announced that the crush was not just caused by specific person or sole reason, but was the result of the lack in total capacity of countermeasure in the public sector. As a result, he maintained his position and has been in power more than 870 days.[5]
In December 2024, following the controversial declaration of emergency martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min presided over an emergency executive meeting.[6] The martial law was later revoked by the National Assembly, but the decision sparked significant political backlash. On December 7, 2024, the Democratic Party of Korea filed an impeachment motion against Lee, accusing him of mishandling the martial law situation. The motion was set for a vote in the National Assembly.[7] Facing mounting pressure, Lee resigned on December 8.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Interior Minister Lee Sang-min outlines plan to control police". Korea JoongAng Daily. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ "Interior Minister Lee Sang-min offers to step down amid martial law turmoil". The Korea Times. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ TG24, Sky (November 2022). "Strage di Halloween a Seul, il ministro dell'Interno si scusa". tg24.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Kim, Tong-Hyung (8 February 2023). "South Korean minister impeached over Itaewon crowd crush". AP News. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ 헌재, 이상민 탄핵 전원 일치로 기각... 167일 만에 직무 복귀. 25 July 2023.
- ^ "Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min canceled today's schedule in the aftermath of the "emergency martial law."". YTN. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Sung-mi, Ahn (7 December 2024). "Main opposition files impeachment motion against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Interior minister linked to martial law allegations resigns; Yoon approves". Chosun Ilbo. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
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