Police to Announce Investigation Results on Kim Hye-kyung's Corporate Card Misuse Case in Mid-August 'Public Disclosure Expected'
"Attention May Focus on Rep. Lee Holding All the Mics During the Party Convention"
"Rather Favorable to Rep. Lee... Unfair Political Interference"
[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Park Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea running for party leader in the upcoming August party convention, pointed out on the 25th regarding the judicial risks raised against Lee Jae-myung, saying, "When I listen to his close aides, they say 'Don't even mention it,'" and expressed concern that "this might become a kind of media control or speech control within the Democratic Party."
Park appeared on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that day and said, "It is a matter for (Lee) to properly refute and explain the allegations raised against him," adding, "I wonder what kind of logic it is to say 'don't even mention it.'"
Park explained, "It is an important issue to prevent Lee's judicial risks from turning into risks for the Democratic Party," and added, "There are various measures to ensure that the judicial risks or burdens of an individual politician or member do not extend to the entire party. These include political decisions such as recommending resignation or suspending party duties, as well as judgments based on party rules and regulations."
He also criticized the police's public announcement that they would release the investigation results regarding allegations of misuse of corporate credit cards by Lee's wife, Kim Hye-kyung, around mid-next month, calling it "unfair political intervention."
Park emphasized, "The police are ridiculous. Knowing well that the party convention will be underway in mid-August, this is the first time I've seen them announce the schedule for releasing investigation results in advance," and said, "Not only I but most candidates will judge this as 'unfair political intervention.'"
He said, "If there are investigation or inquiry results regarding Lee, the party, which holds the most seats in the main opposition party, is having internal mechanisms and debates, but it seems like there is an attempt to intervene externally," adding, "This could actually be advantageous to Lee."
He continued, "Lee, who already monopolizes and holds all the microphones, may attract more attention during the party convention," and criticized, "Such acts of announcing in advance, intervening, and trying to influence, which shake the judgment of the party convention and opposition party members, are not right."
Regarding the 'self-nomination' allegations for the Incheon Gyeyang-eul district raised by former emergency committee member Park Ji-hyun, Park said, "Contrary to Lee's claim that 'the party called me out,' there are reports that he requested the party to call him, so the issues related to the Gyeyang nomination should be evaluated, pointed out, and criticized."
He added, "If even his own nomination issue could be pressured, requested, and turned into a self-nomination, there is a natural concern that if Lee became party leader in the general election, various controversies such as favoritism in nominations and improper interference in nominations could arise."
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