PPP leader and member quote Gemini AI against Lee's cabinet seat plan for agency heads
In short
At the People Power Party's supreme council meeting on 22 October, member Kim Jae-won played a recorded chat with the Gemini chatbot, a day after President Lee Jae-myung cited Gemini on X to defend seating investigative agency heads at cabinet meetings. Cheong Wa Dae said reports that the president relies on AI to run state affairs distort the facts.
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A recording of a conversation with the Gemini chatbot was played at the People Power Party's supreme council meeting at the National Assembly on 22 October, Seoul Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo reported. Supreme council member Kim Jae-won said he had asked Gemini himself because President Lee Jae-myung had used Gemini as an excuse. [ 3 , 4 ]
According to Seoul Shinmun, Kim asked whether seating the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (중대범죄수사청) or the police chief at cabinet meetings could break public trust in the fairness, political neutrality and independence of investigations. Gemini replied that attending the highest leader's meeting could be enough to invite the misunderstanding that independence is shaken, so extra safeguards and particular caution are required. Asked whether Gemini should simply be president if the president governs by consulting it, Gemini said AI technology cannot replace state administration or make responsible judgments. Kim demanded that Lee stop dragging in Gemini to mislead people. [ 4 ]
Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said Lee seemed to be struggling to find friends to take his side and had made Gemini one. He said he too had asked Gemini what should be done about the president's trial and was told it should resume. Na Kyung-won said on SBS radio that Gemini told her the arrangement violates constitutional values and constitutes grounds for impeachment. Floor spokesperson Choi Eun-seok said on KBS radio he was worried the president seemed to need Gemini to decide. Reform Party lawmaker Lee Jun-seok mocked the president on Facebook the day before. [ 4 ]
The dispute began on 21 October, when Lee posted on X a Gemini answer on whether the heads of the Prosecution Service (공소청) and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (중수청) can attend cabinet meetings. Lee wrote that Gemini called the argument against it an unconstitutional stretch that flatly denies the president's administrative supervisory power. He also posted that all agency heads attend and that investigative bodies should not be treated specially. [ 3 ]
On 22 October Cheong Wa Dae (청와대) said reports that the president runs state affairs by relying on AI distort the facts. Senior secretary for public communication Seong Gi-hong said at a morning briefing that Lee had asked Gemini to stress that the matter is clear enough that any AI would give the same answer, not to seek a judgment. Chosun Ilbo reported that legal and academic circles called the exclusion of such heads from cabinet meetings a convention meant to respect investigative neutrality, and that criticism continued that Gemini's answers change with how a question is put. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The dispute shows the opposition turning the president's own use of an AI chatbot against him in the argument over whether investigative agency heads should attend cabinet meetings. The documents give no sign yet of any change to the seating arrangement.
Key facts
- On 21 October President Lee Jae-myung posted on X an answer from Gemini on whether the heads of the Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency may attend cabinet meetings. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Lee wrote that Gemini called the argument against their attendance an unconstitutional stretch. [ 3 ]
- On 22 October at the National Assembly, People Power Party supreme council member Kim Jae-won played a recording of his own conversation with Gemini. [ 3 , 4 ]
- In Kim's recording, Gemini said AI technology cannot take over state affairs or make responsible judgments. [ 4 ]
- Cheong Wa Dae said on 22 October that reports of the president running state affairs by leaning on AI distort the facts. [ 3 ]
- Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said he also asked Gemini about the president's trials and that it said they should resume. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Gemini's answers support or oppose the agency heads' attendance. Lee said Gemini backed it, while Kim Jae-won, Jang Dong-hyuk and Na Kyung-won each described different Gemini answers; Chosun Ilbo reported criticism that the answers vary with how the question is put.
- Why Lee asked Gemini. Cheong Wa Dae said he did so to stress that the matter is clear-cut, not to seek a judgment; opposition figures said he depends on Gemini to govern. The documents give no independent account.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy published a photo of the People Power Party supreme council meeting at the National Assembly. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reported the Gemini voice conversation at the opposition meeting and Cheong Wa Dae's response given at a morning briefing. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun published its account of the meeting and the opposition remarks. [ 4 ]