Lee Sang-min
Overview
Lee Sang-min (Korean: 이상민, Hanja: 李祥敏, born March 26, 1965) is a South Korean politician and legal professional. He is a member of the 22nd National Assembly (Seoul Seocho-gu District B) and served as the first Minister of the Interior and Safety under the Yoon Suk Yeol government (May 2022 – February 2023). A former prosecutor, he held key positions at the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. During his tenure as minister, he led the response and follow-up measures to the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush. He later resigned from the ministerial post and continues to serve as a member of the National Assembly.
Main Content
Early Life and Education
Lee Sang-min was born in Seoul in 1965. He graduated from Gyeonggi High School and Seoul National University with a degree in law. In 1988, he passed the 30th bar examination and was appointed as a prosecutor.
Prosecutor Career
As a prosecutor, Lee worked at the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office, the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and the Ministry of Justice, primarily handling major criminal investigations and public security cases. In the early 2000s, he served as a prosecutor in the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, investigating large-scale corruption cases. In 2010, he served as the Director of the Prosecutors' Bureau at the Ministry of Justice.
Entry into Politics
In the 2016 20th National Assembly election, Lee ran as a candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea in Seoul Seocho-gu District B but was defeated. He later ran in the same district in the 2020 21st National Assembly election and won. In the National Assembly, he served on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Public Administration and Security Committee.
Minister of the Interior and Safety
In May 2022, Lee was appointed as the first Minister of the Interior and Safety under the Yoon Suk Yeol government. During his tenure, key issues included responding to the heavy rainfall in the central region in August 2022 and managing the aftermath of the October 2022 Itaewon crowd crush. He faced criticism over the initial response to the Itaewon disaster, and in February 2023, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion, suspending his duties. Although the Constitutional Court later dismissed the impeachment, he faced pressure to resign and stepped down as minister on February 8, 2023.
National Assembly Activities
After resigning as minister, Lee returned to the National Assembly and was re-elected in the 2024 22nd National Assembly election. He currently serves as a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, engaging in legislative activities related to disaster safety, local autonomy, and the electoral system.
Recent Developments
In April 2024, Lee ran as a candidate of the People Power Party in Seoul Seocho-gu District B for the 22nd National Assembly election and won. As of 2025, he is active as a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, promoting legislative revisions related to the Itaewon disaster and strengthening the disaster response system. Additionally, as a lawmaker with a legal background within the ruling party, he participates in discussions on judicial reform and prosecution reform.
Related Topics
- [[Yoon Suk Yeol government]]
- [[Ministry of the Interior and Safety]]
- [[Itaewon crowd crush]]
- [[22nd National Assembly election]]
- [[Seocho-gu District B]]
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