Lee cites Gemini AI to defend investigative chiefs' Cabinet attendance
In short
On 21 October President Lee Jae-myung posted on X a text titled "I asked Gemini" that called objections to the heads of the Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency attending Cabinet meetings an "unconstitutional forced argument". In a separate post he said he would not direct specific case investigations. Opposition politicians and some legal figures criticised both the attendance and his use of an AI chatbot.
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President Lee Jae-myung posted on X on 21 October a text titled "I asked Gemini", answering criticism of the heads of the Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency attending Cabinet meetings. Gemini's answer as posted said the argument against their attendance denied Article 11 of the Government Organization Act and was an "unconstitutional forced argument" and "sophistry". It also said barring them would neutralise the president's administrative supervisory authority and leave investigative bodies outside democratic control. [ 4 , 5 , 14 ]
About 20 minutes later Lee posted separately that the heads of all agencies, including the forest service, fire agency and coast guard, attend and discuss. He wrote that correcting the wrong perception and practice of treating bodies with investigative powers specially was "normalising the abnormal". He added that the two agencies are among the agencies led by heads under the supervision of the president, prime minister and ministers, and that he would not direct specific case investigations, as he gives ministers no specific licensing instructions. [ 3 , 5 , 13 , 14 ]
Newsis reported that Lee later shared a citizen's post and wrote that prosecutors need not be loyal to the president, and that all public officials should be loyal only to the people. He said democratic control and sharing the direction of state affairs are as important as independence of work, and that he would do his best to prevent the politicisation of prosecutors and investigators. [ 18 ]
The dispute followed the 20 October Cabinet meeting, at which Kim Ji-yong (김지용), head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, attended for the first time since his appointment. Lee told him to act against serious crimes without dividing sides, and Kim said he would do his best to settle the agency and complete prosecution reform. Acting Prosecution Service head Lee Jeong-hyeon and acting police chief Kim Jong-cheol also attended. Asia Economy and Seoul Economic Daily said Lee had defended such attendance at the 13 October Cabinet meeting. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said Kim attended before the ink on his appointment letter had dried and urged the agency to investigate crimes of the ruling party and the presidential office. Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon said previous governments had kept a convention of not seating such chiefs, and Na Kyung-won also criticised Kim's attendance. People Power Party chief spokesperson Park Chung-kwon (박충권) criticised Lee for asking an overseas AI platform rather than public bodies such as the Constitutional Court or the Ministry of Government Legislation. The civic group People's Solidarity also urged the two chiefs to refrain from regular attendance. [ 3 , 6 , 8 , 13 , 24 ]
Hankook Ilbo said it was not clear whether the post reflected Lee's own thinking or the AI's answer. It said Gemini gave a similar answer to its first question but, on a follow-up, described the two sides' positions as evenly matched. Chosun Ilbo reported that a re-ask gave a different answer, and that from 2000 over 25 years no prosecutor general had attended a Cabinet meeting and a police chief had attended three times. [ 5 , 16 , 40 ]
Why it matters
The dispute concerns whether investigative and prosecution chiefs sitting in Cabinet meetings affects the neutrality of investigations. Outlets report that the opposition People Power Party and the civic group People's Solidarity have raised concerns, while Lee says the agencies are under presidential supervision.
Key facts
- On 21 October President Lee Jae-myung posted on X a text titled "I asked Gemini" calling the argument against the Prosecution Service and Serious Crimes Investigation Agency heads attending Cabinet meetings an "unconstitutional forced argument". [ 4 , 5 , 13 , 14 ]
- In a separate post he wrote that all agency heads, including those of the forest service, fire agency and coast guard, attend, and that treating investigative bodies specially is a wrong practice. [ 3 , 5 , 13 , 14 ]
- Lee wrote that he would not direct specific case investigations, just as he gives ministers no specific licensing instructions. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 10 , 14 ]
- Serious Crimes Investigation Agency head Kim Ji-yong attended a Cabinet meeting on 20 October for the first time since his appointment. [ 3 , 4 , 6 , 8 ]
- Opposition figures including People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and lawmakers Han Dong-hoon and Na Kyung-won criticised his attendance. [ 3 , 13 ]
- People's Solidarity urged the two agency heads to refrain from regular Cabinet attendance. [ 6 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Lee posted on X on 21 October a text titled "I asked Gemini" and a separate post defending the Cabinet attendance of the Prosecution Service and Serious Crimes Investigation Agency heads. [ 4 , 5 , 13 , 14 ]
- Lee said he would not direct specific case investigations. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 10 , 14 ]
- Kim Ji-yong attended the 20 October Cabinet meeting chaired by Lee, the first since his appointment. [ 4 , 6 , 14 ]
- Critics argue that regular attendance could undermine the independence and neutrality of investigations. [ 4 , 6 , 8 , 14 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the post reflects Lee's own view or the AI's answer. Hankook Ilbo said it is not clear whether the post is Lee's own thinking or Gemini's answer.
- Whether Gemini consistently supports Lee's position. Hankook Ilbo found a similar answer to its first question but a more balanced answer to a follow-up; Chosun Ilbo reported that re-asking Gemini produced a different answer.
- Whether regular attendance harms investigative independence. Lee says the agencies are under presidential supervision and the attendance is legally grounded, while opposition parties, People's Solidarity and some legal figures say it could compromise neutrality.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Korea Economic Daily publishes a breaking report on Lee's remarks. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports Lee's X post titled "I asked Gemini". [ 4 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports that Gemini gave a different answer when it re-asked the question. [ 16 ]
- Newsis reports further Lee posts saying prosecutors need not be loyal to the president. [ 18 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports People Power Party criticism of Lee asking Gemini. [ 24 ]