Chu Mi-ae Defending Lee Jae-myung: "Do Not Turn Arrows Against Our Party's Candidate"

"Opposition's Trick to Cover Yoon Seok-yeol"
"Issue of Financial Capital Cartel Pursuing Unearned Income"

On the afternoon of the 19th, at the Gwangju MBC Public Hall in Nam-gu, Gwangju, Choo Mi-ae, a preliminary candidate, is speaking at the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate debate. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Former Minister of Justice and Democratic Party presidential candidate Chu Mi-ae defended Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, who is embroiled in allegations of preferential treatment in the Daejang-dong development project. Former Minister Chu described the allegations as "a trick by the opposition party to cover up Yoon Seok-yeol's national order disruption scandal" and emphasized that "this must not be overlooked."

On the 19th, during a live broadcast debate for the Democratic Party's 20th presidential candidates in the Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk regions held at the Gwangju MBC building, former Minister Chu said, "It is pathetic that even the opposition party, the media, and former party leader Lee Nak-yeon are trying to frame Governor Lee's personal corruption."

She continued, "The fact is that the project, which almost transferred all development profits to private interests, changed its development method so that the private and public sectors shared the profits equally," defending Governor Lee.

When asked about Governor Lee, "It seems like an election strategy by the opposition party to cover up former Prosecutor General Yoon's national order disruption scandal. What do you think?" Lee responded, "I completely agree."

Former Minister Chu criticized former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, saying, "The core issue is unearned income," and added, "Candidate Lee said, 'The media raised questions first and conducted investigative reporting, so the problem is being raised,' which was somewhat frustrating."

She then scolded, "Why should we follow everything the media says? Does a leader follow the media's words instead of their own judgment?"

Preliminary candidate Lee Jae-myung appearing in the Democratic Party presidential candidate debate / Photo by Yonhap News

In response, former leader Lee Nak-yeon countered, "The public is worried and angry. It is right for politicians to naturally take an interest." Former Minister Chu replied, "Are you directing the arrows of anger at candidate Lee Jae-myung, our party's candidate? This is a cartel issue involving power and financial capital pursuing unearned income. The suspicions keep growing due to the People Power Party and conservative media, ultimately covering up Yoon Seok-yeol's national order disruption scandal."

Former Minister Chu added, "They are dragging in the People Power Party and attacking me and candidate Lee Jae-myung according to Yoon Seok-yeol's and the People Power Party's logic, targeting all reform candidates. If they hadn't shaken me when I was Minister of Justice, reform would have succeeded," she pointed out.

Meanwhile, on the previous day (18th), Governor Lee claimed that the preferential treatment allegations in the Daejang-dong development project were "in a word, a People Power Party gate."

After visiting the 'Angel House' facility for single mothers and children in Gwangju, Governor Lee told reporters, "Before LH gave up on this project, someone or some group contracted most of the land in the Daejang-dong area," and added, "Later, former President Lee Myung-bak told LH to stay away from profitable projects."

He continued, "This means that President Lee Myung-bak said, 'Do not engage in projects that can compete with the private sector.' Strangely, at that time, certain business operators had already raised hundreds of billions of won to purchase land in the Daejang-dong area," raising suspicions.

He also emphasized, "Since I became mayor of Seongnam, there have been many preferential treatments in private development. I judged that it is highly likely to be a People Power Party gate. I even wrote on Facebook about improper connections and gave interviews," he stressed.