Prime Minister Kim Min-seok called for an immediate inspection and audit of the previous administration's offloading of its YTN stake, which critics have characterized as a fire sale.

The Prime Minister's Secretariat said in a press release on Wednesday that Kim had ordered the inspection and audit of the YTN divestment as well as other sales of state assets pursued during the Yoon Suk Yeol government and the current Lee Jae Myung administration.

The prime minister said any damage to asset value or preferential treatment in the sale transaction found in the process should be subject to a joint investigation by prosecutors and police, followed by stern legal action.

The instruction comes after Lee, on Monday, ordered ministries to suspend the sale of all government assets and to review trades currently in progress or under consideration.

During Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Lee also instructed the government to consult with parliament and solicit public opinion to minimize concern about the privatization of public services.

The Yoon government pushed to divest from YTN as part of public sector reforms, after which Eugene ENT purchased a 30-point-95-percent stake held by KEPCO KDN and the Korea Racing Authority to become the channel's largest shareholder.