Lee questions prosecutions behind payouts

Dec 24, 2025, 09:02 am

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President Lee Jae-myung greets citizens as he attends the opening ceremony of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in Dong-gu, Busan, on Dec. 23. / Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a separate review into whether a sharp rise in criminal compensation payments is linked to excessive prosecutions by state prosecutors, his office said Tuesday.

The instruction was issued during a closed session of the 55th Cabinet meeting held at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in Busan, after the government approved a proposal to draw from contingency reserves to meet soaring demand for state compensation and criminal restitution in 2025.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Lee directed officials to submit a detailed report on trends in criminal compensation payouts alongside changes in acquittal rates. “The president asked for a separate briefing on fluctuations in criminal compensation and the trajectory of not-guilty verdicts,” she said in a written statement.

Lee also ordered a review of expanding state honors and decorations for senior citizens, noting that South Korea’s elderly population has surged past 10 million. The president referenced proposals raised during a luncheon hosted by the Korea Senior Citizens Association the previous day.

In addition, Lee called for clearer guidelines on inheritance tax exemptions related to childbirth incentives, stressing the need to remove ambiguity in existing rules.

A total of 129 agenda items were tabled at the Cabinet meeting, all of which were approved as submitted. The list included 58 key legislative measures tied to the Lee administration’s core policy agenda.

After the meeting, Lee visited Bujeon Market near Bujeon Station in Busanjin District, a large traditional market that emerged after the Korean War as refugees settled in the area. According to the presidential office, Lee purchased almonds and fish using Onnuri gift certificates, while buying side dishes such as seasoned peppers with cash.

He later shared lunch at a local sashimi restaurant with Cabinet members and presidential staff, where he emphasized that “solving the problems of everyday livelihoods is the top priority of state administration,” urging officials to devote all available resources to addressing bread-and-butter issues.

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