Both the ruling and main opposition parties in South Korea criticized budget minister nominee Lee Hye-hoon during a confirmation hearing for not providing sufficient documents related to allegations involving her and her family. Lee faced intense questioning regarding accusations of improperly securing a pre-sale deal for a luxury apartment, as well as inquiries into her real estate transactions and her sons’ college admissions and military service records. The main opposition party representative accused Lee of lying about submitting 75% of the requested documents, while a ruling party member urged her to provide materials linked to a controversial memo from her past election campaigns.
Lee is alleged to have obtained the right to purchase a luxury apartment unit in southern Seoul in July 2024 by reportedly misrepresenting her eldest son’s marital status to increase her chances of securing the subscription. Applicants for new apartments in South Korea must meet various criteria, including family size and housing status. Lee defended herself by explaining that her eldest son and his wife were facing marital difficulties after their wedding in December 2023 and had not registered their marriage at the time. She stated that she would abide by the outcomes of investigations by relevant authorities regarding the apartment in question.
During the hearing, Lee, a former three-term lawmaker, also expressed regret for her previous support of a former president’s failed martial law bid in December 2024. She acknowledged her past statements and vowed to continue apologizing until deemed sufficient by the public.
