President Lee Jae Myung (L) attends a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 28 May 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
June 1 (Asia Today) -- South Korea is expected to begin procedures to appoint a special inspector general after Wednesday's local elections, potentially reviving a presidential watchdog post that has been vacant for nearly a decade.
The special inspector general is tasked with inspecting possible misconduct involving the president, the president's relatives and senior presidential office officials.
The system was introduced in 2014 under then President Park Geun-hye, but the post has remained vacant since 2016. Neither the Moon Jae-in administration nor the Yoon Suk Yeol administration appointed a special inspector general.
Political sources said Sunday that the ruling Democratic Party is preparing to begin the recommendation process shortly after the June 3 local elections.
