Yu Dong-gyu says he played poker with justice minister nominee at least 3 times

Yu Dong-gyu, former head of planning at Seongnam Urban Development Corp., said Monday that he clearly remembers playing poker with Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol at least three times.

Speaking to the Chosun Ilbo by phone that day, Yu said the gatherings brought together four people — Lee and his deputy directors — at a baeksuk restaurant, and that both he and Lee arrived with their respective drivers. "I remember it being a weekday lunch," Yu said. "It was still light out when we left." Yu had appeared on a YouTube channel Friday, saying he and Lee had played poker for money at a chicken baeksuk restaurant in the Gogi-ri valley area of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, with the pot reaching about 2 million won ($1,470) at one point. He added that he lost 400,000 won the first time and 800,000 won the second time before eventually winning it back.

Lee pushed back on Yu's account on his way into the Government Gwacheon Complex that day, calling the claims "highly malicious defamation." While saying he felt no need to respond point by point, Lee denied ever gambling with large sums of money. "I cannot help but ask whether it is reasonable for someone to remember in such specific detail — which restaurant, exactly how many millions of won were wagered — an event that supposedly took place more than a decade ago," Lee said.

Yu responded by saying the poker games with Lee stood out precisely because he rarely gambled. "I almost never gamble, so playing poker with Lee is practically the only time I did — that's why I remember it," Yu said. "And I clearly remember at least three times."

Lee, who had been serving as commissioner of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), was nominated as the new justice minister candidate Friday. A native of Sunchang, North Jeolla Province, Lee completed the 21st class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and worked with Minbyun, the Lawyers for a Democratic Society, before serving as legal secretary and second civil affairs secretary at Cheong Wa Dae under the Roh Moo-hyun administration. Lee also came from the law firm Saegil, where the president previously served as a lead attorney. When the president was elected mayor of Seongnam, Lee served on the transition committee and was appointed chief executive of the Seongnam Industry Promotion Foundation, now known as the Seongnam Industry Promotion Agency. Having served as the inaugural vice commissioner of DAPA in 2006, Lee was appointed DAPA commissioner last November after the current administration took office.