KISA President Lee Sangjung Dismissed Over 'Corporate Card Misuse'; Ryu Jaecheol Named Acting President

Lee Sangjung: "I will seek to have the appropriateness of my dismissal reviewed"

Lee Sangjung, president of the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), has been dismissed amid allegations that he falsified his work history and improperly used a corporate credit card.

Lee Sangjung, president of the Korea Internet & Security Agency, answers lawmakers' questions during a parliamentary audit of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency and other organizations held by the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on the 15th. Yonhap News.

According to KISA on October 29, the recommendation to dismiss Lee received final approval the previous day. The approval came about two months after KISA’s board voted in August to recommend his dismissal, citing violations including breaches of his duties of good faith, compliance and integrity.

In audits conducted since February by the Presidential Office’s Office of the Senior Secretary for Civil Service Discipline and the Ministry of Science and ICT, Lee was cited for 10 violations of his official duties, including issues involving his work history, the use of business promotion expenses and budget management.

The issues were also raised during the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee’s parliamentary audit on October 15. At the time, Lee disputed the audit findings, arguing that there had been procedural problems.

KISA has shifted to an acting leadership system to minimize disruption during the vacancy for the president’s post, whose term was scheduled to run through January 2027. Ryu Jaecheol, a non-standing director and professor in the Division of Computer Convergence at Chungnam National University, was appointed acting president and officially assumed the role on October 29.

Lee posted on Facebook the previous day, acknowledging shortcomings in his handling of work while expressing regret over his dismissal. “I did not seek personal gain or provide unfair favors,” he wrote. “I cannot help but have serious doubts about whether I had to be dismissed by cutting short my term, with only two months left.”

He added, “I deeply regret this decision and will seek to have the appropriateness of my dismissal reviewed through the necessary procedures.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.