Jang Sung-min Repeatedly Raises Speculation on Candidate Lee Jae-myung Replacement... "Kim Man-bae's Side Labels Candidate Lee as the Mastermind of Daejang-dong"

Former Assemblyman Jang Sung-min. / Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Jang Sung-min, Chairman of the World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum, once again mentioned the possibility of replacing Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, on the 10th. He referred to the statement of the court-appointed manager for Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management (Hwacheon Daeyu), who is on trial over allegations of lobbying and preferential treatment in the Daejang-dong development, suggesting the possibility of a Plan B.

On the same day, Chairman Jang posted on social media (SNS), "Kim Man-bae, with the nuclear bomb drop on Daejang-dong, is the content that was previously doubted becoming a reality?" He analyzed, "It seems closely related to the Plan B, the Seol Daeran theory, and the Lee Jae-myung candidate replacement theory that have been circulating within the deep circles of the ruling party."

Chairman Jang has mentioned the December crisis theory and the possibility of a nuclear bomb related to Daejang-dong before the Lunar New Year. After failing in the People Power Party's presidential primary, he is now supporting Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party's presidential candidate.

Kim's lawyer stated at the trial held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22, regarding breach of trust charges, "At that time, (then Seongnam Mayor) Lee Jae-myung's instructions were based on a policy for stable business." He added, "The so-called '7 toxic clauses' are the basic structure of the Daejang-dong development project, merely reflecting Seongnam City's instructions and policies according to the policy direction at that time." He further explained, "The public corporation (Seongnam Urban Development Corporation) set the basic direction to obtain a fixed profit, and the private business operator's profit is the result of investment bearing high risks, not a result of breach of trust."

In response, Chairman Jang claimed, "He branded Lee Jae-myung as the main culprit of the Daejang-dong corruption," and argued, "Thus, the prosecution's detention investigation of candidate Lee has become inevitable."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party explained, "The so-called '7 toxic clauses' claimed by the prosecution are not provisions that benefit private business operators but clauses for local governments to recover development profits," adding, "Therefore, they are not 'toxic clauses' but 'profit recovery clauses'." They also asserted, "The policy was not a private instruction from candidate Lee (then Seongnam Mayor) but an 'official policy of Seongnam City,'" and stated, "The expression 'Lee Jae-myung's instruction' is incorrect; it is appropriate to describe it as 'official policy of Seongnam City.'"