Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu allegedly engaged in an altercation with a taxi driver while intoxicated in early November, when he was working as a lawyer, police officials said Saturday.

Lee grabbed the taxi driver by the collar at an apartment complex in southern Seoul one night, as the driver was waking him up, according to officials at the Seocho Police Station.

Lee, who had served as a judge before practicing law, was appointed to the No. 2 post at the Ministry of Justice on Dec. 2 amid the government's campaign to revamp the prosecution.

Police were called to the scene at that time, and Lee was allowed to go home after his identity was confirmed, the officials said.

Police closed the case later without booking Lee after the taxi driver objected to his punishment. (Yonhap)