Opposition criticises Lee for citing Gemini on agency heads' cabinet attendance

President Lee Jae-myung posted on X on 21 October under the title "I asked Gemini", according to most of the documents. He wrote that the position that the heads of the prosecution agency (공소청) and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (중수청) cannot attend cabinet meetings is "unconstitutional stubbornness". Gemini is a generative AI developed by Google, according to two outlets. [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]

The dispute followed the attendance of Kim Ji-yong (김지용), the first head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, at the cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae on 20 October. Asia Economy reported that the opposition had worried that the attendance of an investigative agency head at a meeting chaired by the president could undermine investigative independence and political neutrality. [ 9 , 10 ]

According to Korea Economic Daily, Lee wrote in the post that the president has the constitutional duty and legal authority to direct and supervise the heads of all central administrative agencies, and that both agencies are central administrative agencies under such direction. He said that officially attending the cabinet meeting and openly discussing their affairs is consistent with constitutional responsible politics. He described blocking this as a dangerous idea that would nullify the president's administrative supervision and leave investigation and prosecution bodies as an "extraterritorial sanctuary" outside democratic control. [ 5 ]

Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party wrote on Facebook that the president had begun citing Gemini as grounds for governing, and that if the president governs by asking Gemini, he could just be replaced by Gemini. Han Dong-hoon, an independent, said the president must not direct investigations or prosecutions "even if you bring Gemini's grandfather" and accused Lee of making the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency a "hasucheong" and the prosecution agency a "gongjakcheong". Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party said the president was judging state affairs by asking Gemini rather than the Constitution and laws. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 9 ]

People Power Party spokesperson Cho Yong-sul (조용술) asked since when an AI answer had replaced the legitimacy of running state affairs. Chief spokesperson Park Chung-kwon (박충권) said a president should not rely on Gemini over the Constitutional Court and the Ministry of Government Legislation, and shared a Gemini answer saying that such reliance harms responsible politics and the rule of law. Lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun said using AI as a reference in governing is a different matter from using it to rebut public concern. Park Soo-young (박수영) shared a Gemini answer of his own, which said the government's attendance policy had some justification but called for minimal attendance depending on the matter or flexible operation. [ 1 , 4 , 9 ]

Asia Economy also reported a separate post in which Lee said he would not direct the investigation of specific cases and that prosecutors need not be loyal to the president. The documents differ on two points. Yonhap says Lee posted on the previous day, while other documents say 21 October. Four reports quote Lee Jun-seok as saying Lee had criticised Gemini for wrong answers "a few months ago", while Yonhap quotes "last year". [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 10 ]