Lee Jae-myung: "Yoo Dong-gyu, who put me in danger, rather did his best to torment me"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is responding to questions during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do on the 20th. 2021.10.20 [Photo by Gyeonggi Joint Press Corps] [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] On the 20th, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, said that former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu ultimately betrayed him because he put him in danger.

On the same day, during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province, where Lee attended as the governor of Gyeonggi Province, when Lee Jong-bae, a member of the People Power Party, asked about former Director Yoo, Lee said, "He did help with the election," but added, "(Former Director Yoo) did his best to torment me. He put me in danger."

When Lee Jong-bae asked if former Director Lee was a "close aide among close aides," Lee Jae-myung replied, "If he were a close aide, I would have appointed him as president." Later, when Lee Jong-bae inquired whether he appointed him as president of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, Lee said, "The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization is a small organization with 60 employees."

Also, Lee Jae-myung claimed that he has not spoken with former Director Yoo recently and has not seen him since last summer. He added, "We are not in a relationship where we discuss political futures or any future plans. After he resigned and left, he did not appear at all in this presidential primary. From what I heard, since last year, due to divorce issues and serious family problems, he reportedly took medicine to attempt suicide during the search and seizure at the time of his arrest. I heard about it, but I do not know the details at all," he responded.