People Power Party Attacks "Lee Faces Prison If He Loses Presidential Election? 'Bluff Politics'"

Lee Jae-myung's Statement "If I Lose the Presidential Election, I Might Go to Prison for No Crime" Faces Fierce Criticism from the Opposition
Kim Ki-hyun Says "The Real Prisoners Are Those Who Refuse Special Prosecutors"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 23rd, the People Power Party launched an offensive against Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, calling his remark that "if I lose the presidential election, I think I will go to prison for a crime I did not commit" as "intimidation politics."

Kim Ki-hyun, the floor leader, criticized on Facebook that day, saying, "Since your approval rating is not rising, it seems you are trying to use 'intimidation politics' against the people, but I hope you have some sense of shame."

He questioned, "It seems like a statement to attack candidate Yoon Seok-youl, but in reality, isn't it an unintentional confession of his true feelings about his inevitable fate to go to prison as the mastermind of the Daejang-dong gate?"

He continued by mentioning the deaths of people related to Daejang-dong, claiming, "The regime that covered up real crimes, fabricated nonexistent crimes to send people to prison, or induced extreme choices is none other than the Democratic Party regime."

Floor leader Kim said, "It only sounds like a tantrum asking to be made president so he won't go to prison, and if Lee Jae-myung becomes president, it sounds like a declaration of war to fabricate crimes and imprison opposition forces, which is chilling," adding, "At the very least, if candidate Yoon becomes president, such old-fashioned politics will not exist, so do not incite the people."

He also urged, "If you have the capacity to incite the people with such tricks, then accept the Daejang-dong special prosecutor investigation boldly even now."

Lee Yang-su, the senior spokesperson of the election campaign headquarters, also pointed out in a commentary, "Isn't this a 'thief feeling guilty' remark coming from candidate Lee's past experiences?" and added, "Candidate Lee's statement that 'only pigs are seen through pig's eyes' comes to mind again."

Kim Jin-tae, former lawmaker and chairman of the People Power Party's Lee Jae-myung Corruption Verification Special Committee, wrote on Facebook that day, "(Candidate Lee) said that if he loses the presidential election, he thinks he will go to prison for a 'crime that does not exist.' This is a thought typical of someone who tried to put his perfectly healthy older brother into a psychiatric hospital," and added, "You don't have to worry about that. Your 'real crimes' are enough."

Earlier, during a spontaneous speech at a campaign event in Songpa-gu, Seoul, the previous day, candidate Lee said, "The fear of the prosecution republic is not just the sound of passing wind but a reality confronting us," and "This time, if I lose, I think I will be sent to prison for a crime I did not commit." The People Power Party harshly criticized Lee's remark, interpreting it as targeting candidate Yoon, a former prosecutor general.