Special presidential inspector post still vacant despite Lee's pledge

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a senior secretaries’ meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, on Nov. 13. (Yonhap)

The post of presidential special inspector has remained vacant for nearly a decade, despite pledges made by President Lee Jae Myung during his election campaign and again after taking office.

Lee vowed throughout the campaign to fill the post without delay and reaffirmed the pledge at a press conference on July 3, saying that “power must be kept in check” and that “for the sake of the president’s own integrity, it is better to be monitored.”

He added that he had instructed his office to initiate the appointment process. The presidential office also announced shortly afterward that it was reviewing the appointment in line with Lee’s directive, but no progress has been made since.

The presidential special inspector is a vice-minister-level official tasked with investigating irregularities involving the president’s spouse, relatives within four degrees of kinship, and senior presidential aides.

Although formally attached to the presidential office, the inspector operates independently, serving as one of the few internal checks on presidential power within the executive branch.

The system was introduced in 2014 under the Park Geun-hye administration, and only one inspector has ever served. Lee Seok-soo, the inaugural officeholder, resigned in 2016 following a dispute over an alleged leak of investigative information.

Since then, the position has remained vacant. Neither the administration of Moon Jae-in nor that of Yoon Suk Yeol initiated the appointment process, leaving the oversight position effectively defunct.

Under the Special Inspector General Act, the National Assembly must recommend three candidates, from among whom the president selects one after a confirmation hearing.

But no subsequent progress has been visible, and discussions have stalled as political confrontation in the National Assembly has intensified over broader legislative battles. The presidential office has not pushed lawmakers on the issue or offered any timetable.

The issue resurfaced in October during a National Assembly audit, when the main opposition People Power Party pressed the need for an inspector to be appointed, citing issues surrounding presidential aides, including presidential secretary Kim Hyun-ji, who was asked to appear as a witness in the audit but refused.

However, the push lost momentum as the presidential office and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea did not respond to the demand.