Lee Hak-jae, president of Incheon International Airport Corporation, speaks at a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Hall on the morning of the 20th, urging an end to the Presidential Office's illegal interference in personnel appointments at Incheon International Airport Corporation. [Photo=Yonhap News]  

The civic group Committee for the Stabilization of People's Livelihoods (Chairman Kim Soon-hwan) has filed a complaint against Kim Hyun-ji, First Secretary of the Presidential Secretariat, Kang Hoon-sik, Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs, and Kim Yoon-deok, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, for abuse of power and other charges.

The committee filed the complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 22nd against Kim, Kang, and Kim, citing abuse of power, coercion, and obstruction of business, in relation to Incheon International Airport Corporation President Lee Hak-jae's claim that the Presidential Office interfered in personnel appointments through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport prior to the regular personnel reshuffle in early January.

The committee cited Lee's statement at a press conference held at the National Assembly's Communication Hall on the 20th, that the Presidential Office was illegally interfering in the airport corporation's personnel appointments, as the reason for the complaint.

Lee stated that the overseas business in Kuwait was disrupted because the executive vice president, who was supposed to be appointed as the head of the overseas subsidiary upon his retirement on December 31st of last year, was prevented from retiring, which in turn prevented the return of the current local subsidiary head.

Furthermore, Lee stated at the time, "The Presidential Office's illegal interference in the personnel appointments of Incheon International Airport Corporation, a critical national facility, has gone too far," and revealed, "Prior to the regular personnel reshuffle on January 1st of this year, there was continuous pressure through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport since mid-November last year, demanding that personnel appointments not be carried out until the arrival of the new agency head, stating it was 'the Presidential Office's will.'"

Lee claimed that as he insisted on the inevitability of the regular personnel appointments and did not yield to the pressure, the Presidential Office continued its interference by presenting guidelines such as △ carrying out appointments only for positions below the third grade, △ transitioning to acting roles in case of vacant management positions, and △ submitting personnel decisions to the Presidential Office for prior review and approval before implementation.

The committee stated in the complaint, "If these facts are true, they constitute abuse of power, coercion, and obstruction of business."

The complaint also stated, "The defendants, having concealed the fact that they were previously convicted of 'illegal personnel interference' as minister during the Moon Jae-in administration, have committed a shocking act of tyranny by usurping the personnel rights of the President of Incheon International Airport Corporation."

Committee for the Stabilization of People's Livelihoods Donation Account: Post Office 010108-01-014472 

Account Holder: Committee for the Stabilization of People's Livelihoods 

Reporter Lim Yo-hee