Gyeonggi Province Audit Becomes 'Presidential Election Audition'.. Opposition: "Designer Lee Jae-myung" Ruling Party: "People Power Party Gate" (Summary)

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] The Gyeonggi Province National Assembly audit held today, attended by Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate in his capacity as governor, was filled with fierce exchanges amid a tense atmosphere reminiscent of a "presidential audition." When opposition party lawmakers tried to link Lee to the "Daejang-dong scandal," ruling party lawmakers referred to the related allegations as the "People Power Party Gate," defending their party's presidential candidate and sparking an intense preliminary presidential battle. Lee also actively counterattacked, leading to loud disputes with opposition lawmakers.

From the start of the audit, the People Power Party and Lee engaged in a tense standoff over document submissions. Park Wan-soo, the opposition party secretary of the Public Administration and Security Committee and a People Power Party lawmaker, said, "I don't understand why Gyeonggi Province is so reluctant to provide documents," adding, "The governor says he wants to accomplish great things, but ignoring the authority of the National Assembly is an attitude that must be abandoned."

Lee responded, "It is not right to proceed with excessive demands that violate the law. There were requests for as many as 4,600 documents, the largest ever since the Gyeonggi Province governor's office," and added, "I understand that Hong Joon-pyo, a People Power Party presidential primary candidate, also did not submit documents during his time as governor of Gyeongnam Province based on the law that local administrative affairs are not subject to audits."

Kim Do-eup, a People Power Party lawmaker, targeted Lee by referring to him as "that person." He said, "As can be seen through Daejang-dong, Wirye, Baekhyeon, Kona I, and Seongnam FC, he has tremendous power that created and used 1 trillion won by exploiting permits and a task force," criticizing Lee. He continued, "Who is the architect who claims not to have received even one won? The one who created the money, the one who owns the money, and above them, the one who controls the money," and added, "When that person wants to spend money where he wishes, exercising control according to his will, that is his money."

Lee replied, "This case clearly shows that the People Power Party blocked public development, that People Power Party members took bribes and advocated for private development, and that People Power Party lawmakers pressured LH during the LH audit to abandon public development." He added, "All forms of monetary benefits shared with private developers who took the development profits were with People Power Party lawmakers, prosecutors recommended by People Power Party, or lawyers close to People Power Party."

Democratic Party lawmakers fully defended Lee. Lawmaker Baek Hye-ryeon said regarding the Daejang-dong allegations, "Most of the figures involved in the '50 Billion Club' exposed by the People Power Party are high-ranking legal officials appointed during the Park Geun-hye administration, including independent lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, former special prosecutor Park Young-soo, former senior presidential secretary Choi Jae-kyung, former prosecutor general Kim Soo-nam, lawyer Lee Kyung-jae, and former deputy minister of justice Lee Chang-jae." Lawmaker Park Wan-joo also supported, saying, "It was the current People Power Party that blocked the Daejang-dong public development." Lawmaker Oh Young-hwan countered, "The Hwacheon Dongin, Cheonhwa Dongin, Kim Man-bae, these construction forces, former Hannara Party lawmaker Shin Young-soo who opposed public development and pushed for private development, corrupt officials including Yoo Dong-gyu who took bribes, and lawmaker Kwak Sang-do whose son received 5 billion won, etc."

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, is attending the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office on the 18th, greeting Park Soo-young, a member of the People Power Party. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

The opposition also raised allegations of Lee's involvement with gangsters. Kim Yong-pan, a People Power Party lawmaker, said, "I met with Park Cheol-min, a member of the 'International Mafia' action squad and former employee of Komatrade, who is currently imprisoned at Suwon Detention Center," adding, "Park submitted a total of 17 pages including a statement, fact verification, and whistleblower report." Kim read the fact verification document aloud at the audit. In the document, Park stated, "I was a core action squad leader of the International Mafia for about 12 years," and "My relationship with Governor Lee Jae-myung has been a collusive one since before 2007 with senior members of the International Mafia and during his time as a lawyer." He claimed, "Although he evades by saying it is just one of thousands of cases, in the collusive relationship, he was introduced to cases by International Mafia members and gave commissions, a symbiotic relationship."

Lee strongly denied the related allegations. He said, "If I had done such things, I would have been punished long ago and would not be here," adding, "I don't know where the photo of the cash bundles was taken, but it seems a lot of effort was made." He continued, "This is why the parliamentary immunity of lawmakers should be limited," and said, "Presenting clear false information to defame and unfairly influence elections is a clear violation of the Public Official Election Act. Legal action cannot be avoided on this matter."