Former Prosecutor General and People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol is holding a meeting with local party members at the Daegu City Party Office on the 30th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate from the People Power Party, criticized Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, for his remarks on the 'restaurant permit quota system,' calling it "part of an escape operation from the Daejang-dong gate scandal."
On the 30th, Yoon said on Facebook, "(Candidate Lee) is deliberately stirring controversy and throwing out bait to shift the issue." He added, "Especially, it seems like a trick to ignite ideological debates between left and right to deflect public suspicion that 'Lee Jae-myung is the mastermind behind the Daejang-dong gate.'
Earlier, on the 27th, Candidate Lee mentioned his plan for a restaurant permit quota system while meeting small business owners and self-employed workers at Sinwon Market in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The opposition parties fiercely criticized the remark as a 'totalitarian idea.'
In response, Candidate Lee explained, "I am not suggesting to implement it immediately," and added, "Taxi licenses are limited, the number of doctors is restricted, and university admissions quotas are also set."
Regarding this, Yoon questioned, "Why on earth is he doing this? He says it is not a pledge and not to be implemented as a national policy, so why does he casually make such remarks without sufficient consultation with the party?"
Yoon analyzed that Candidate Lee is trapped in the 'Daejang-dong gate' swamp. He said, "Every day, suspicions have been surfacing one after another, and his closest aide Yoo Dong-gyu has been arrested," adding, "Kim Man-bae, who is suspected of colluding in the trial for Lee Jae-myung's acquittal, is also under investigation by the prosecution."
He continued, "Recently, allegations have been raised that Seongnam Urban Development Corporation's former president Hwang Mu-seong was unfairly 'removed,'" and said, "We don't know what else might come out or which witnesses might appear." This suggests that Candidate Lee, who is suspected of receiving special favors in the Daejang-dong development, is deliberately stirring controversy to divert public attention from the investigation.
Yoon also emphasized, "55% of the public believe that Candidate Lee intentionally intervened in the Daejang-dong special favor scandal, and 65% think a special prosecutor should be appointed," adding, "Even supporters of the Democratic Party are looking at him with suspicion. At this rate, normal election campaigning is impossible."
He argued, "The greatest urgent task is to quickly escape from the swamp of the Daejang-dong gate scandal; this is the background behind the 'quota system talk,'" and stated, "However, unless the public's suspicion is cleared, Candidate Lee cannot leave Daejang-dong until the presidential election ends."
He then urged the introduction of a special prosecutor, saying, "There is one way: agree to a special prosecutor and undergo investigation."
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