Lee Jae-myung "Gangster Fabrication by Kim Yong-pan, Resign and Apologize, People Power Party"

A bundle of cash presented by Kim Yong-pan, a member of the People Power Party, on the 18th during the Gyeonggi Province audit, claiming that Governor Lee Jae-myung received 2 billion won from gangsters. However, this photo was proudly revealed by Park Mo, who was a gangster as stated in the text above, boasting that he earned a large amount of money through rental car businesses after many trials and errors.

[Asia Economy=Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, on the 18th, during the National Assembly’s audit of Gyeonggi Province, called for the immediate resignation and public apology of Kim Yong-pan, a member of the People Power Party (PPP), who accused Lee of receiving 2 billion KRW from gangsters without verifying the gangster’s words, labeling it a "say whatever you want" style accusation. Lee condemned the PPP for "malicious acts destroying democracy hidden behind parliamentary immunity."

On the 19th, Lee posted on Facebook, "At yesterday’s National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee audit, an unexpected bundle of money appeared," introducing it as "a photo presented by PPP lawmaker Kim Yong-pan as evidence that I received bribes from gangsters."

He continued, "But within a few hours, it was revealed that the photo of the money bundle was false," and expressed a bitter laugh, saying, "It is truly deplorable."

Lee particularly pointed out, "During a constitutionally mandated national audit, a member of the National Assembly, a constitutional institution of the country, and the PPP, the main opposition party, used complete fabrication to slander me," adding, "This is nothing but a betrayal of the people who elected them, showing that they do not hesitate to trample on the constitution for vested interests and power."

He also stated, "Abusing parliamentary immunity to make 'say whatever you want' style false fabrications, destroying a person’s character, and misleading the public with fake information is not legislative activity but a criminal act," and argued, "Parliamentary immunity was a device to protect lawmakers during the dictatorship era, but times have changed. The dictatorship has long disappeared, and immunity has become more of a poison. This opportunity should be used to limit parliamentary immunity."

Furthermore, he said, "Deliberate and malicious fake news, which is clearly evident, is a poisonous mushroom destroying democracy and must not be tolerated," urging, "The PPP must take full responsibility for turning the national audit into a stage for false fabrication and immediately apologize to the public."

He also pressured, "Kim Yong-pan, who turned the audit into a factory for false and fake news with irresponsible revelations, should apologize for the slander against me and resign from his position as a member of the National Assembly."

Earlier, PPP lawmaker Kim Yong-pan raised his voice during the audit of Gyeonggi Province the previous day, saying, "I met with Park Cheol-min, a member of the 'International Mafia Group' currently imprisoned at Suwon Detention Center and an employee of Komatrade, at his request through his lawyer," and added, "Park submitted a total of 17 pages including a statement, fact verification, and a public interest whistleblowing report."

He further explained, "Park was formerly a member of the International Mafia Group but left the organization and cooperated with the police investigation."

In the materials disclosed by Kim, Park claimed, "Lee had a collusive relationship with the International Mafia Group even before 2007 when he was a lawyer, receiving cases introduced by members and giving commissions," and also revealed a photo of a bundle of 2 billion KRW that Park allegedly gave to Lee in 2015.

However, on the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Han Byung-do countered Kim Yong-pan’s revelation, saying, "There has been a twist," and argued, "The photo that Kim Yong-pan used as key evidence was posted on Facebook by Park on November 21, 2018, claiming he 'made money through private loans and car rentals,' and at that time, Lee Jae-myung was not the mayor of Seongnam."

In fact, after posting the photo of the money bundle, Park wrote, "There were many trial and errors such as starting an advertising company, co-owning a rental car business, and starting a lounge bar, and now I can generate a fixed monthly income of 20 million KRW from various businesses," and added, "Thanks to the mentors who helped me settle down."