[2023 Click Political Figures] ① Lee Jae-myung's Turning Point in 'Judicial Risk'

Representative Lee Likely to Appear at Prosecution from 10th to 12th This Month

Editor's NoteThe year 2023, the Year of the Black Rabbit, has dawned. The political landscape of a ruling party minority and opposition majority following last year's regime change is expected to lead to fierce power struggles between the ruling and opposition parties this year as well. We have selected 10 politicians to watch closely as they attempt to solve complex equations in Yeouido's political arena.

"They shoot a curse (煞) to kill Lee Jae-myung, but it doesn't work well. Why doesn't it work? Because they don't know his birthday well. The birthday recorded in documents is very likely not his real birthday."

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Suddenly, the birthday was brought up. On December 22 last year, the day Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was summoned by the prosecution over allegations of donations to Seongnam FC, it happened to be his birthday. There was talk that the prosecution timed the summons to coincide with his birthday. However, Lee said, "A fortune based on an inaccurate date is not correct," dismissing such remarks and the surrounding attention.

When asked who is the most intriguing figure in politics in 2023, Lee is undoubtedly the one. Both the Democratic Party, calculating votes ahead of the general election, and the Yoon Seok-youl administration, entering its second year and gearing up for a full-scale crackdown, are paying close attention to this politician.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Lee, who was once a civic activist, entered Yeouido ahead of the 17th presidential election. At that time, the ruling party, the United Democratic Party, launched a full-scale offensive against former President Lee Myung-bak's 'BBK stock manipulation' case, where Lee, a lawyer by profession, stood out. After being elected mayor of Seongnam in 2010, he served as the governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2014 for two terms, growing his presence by clashing with the conservative government over welfare policies such as free school uniforms and public maternity centers. During the 2016 impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, he gained fame for his 'cider' remarks at the Gwanghwamun rally, rising to the ranks of the party's presidential candidates.

However, after losing the presidential election last year and narrowly winning the by-election in Incheon Gyeyang-eul three months later, his comeback as the Democratic Party leader came with an anticipated 'judicial risk.' The prosecution's summons at the end of last year was the arrival of what was expected.

The First Hurdle in Lee Jae-myung's Prosecution Investigation: Seongnam FC Donations

The prosecution investigation is the first mountain Lee must overcome. Lee faces various allegations including donations to Seongnam FC, preferential treatment in the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong development projects, and payment of legal fees for Ssangbangwool. The first hurdle is the Seongnam FC donation allegations. While serving as mayor of Seongnam, Lee was the owner of the Seongnam FC club and is suspected of soliciting donations from companies based in Seongnam and providing these companies with conveniences such as building permits. The prosecution requested Lee's summons on the 28th of last month, but he did not appear citing local schedules.

The actual summons investigation is expected to take place between the 10th and 12th. Details such as the investigation method are under discussion, but if Lee appears directly at the prosecution's photo line, it will signal the start of a tense political situation. If the prosecution presents decisive evidence, Lee's leadership will also be put to the test. Within the party, the anti-Lee faction is demanding, "Do not expand Lee's judicial risk to the entire party's risk," and calls for resignation are emerging. Factional conflicts over nomination rights for next year's general election are intensifying, and in the worst case, it could lead to a party split.

There is also a possibility that lawmakers feeling burdened by next year's general election may defect. Former President Kim Dae-jung left the party ahead of the presidential election amid scandals involving his close aides, and former President Kim Young-sam was pressured to leave the party due to bribery allegations involving his second son Kim Hyun-chul and the IMF economic crisis. Former President Roh Moo-hyun eventually complied with demands to leave the party amid responsibility debates following local election defeats. A Democratic Party official emphasized, "To prevent the party's split between 'pro-Lee' and 'anti-Lee' factions, it is essential to sincerely devise ways to maintain a 'unified front' by winning over the majority of lawmakers who do not belong to any faction and party members who stand aside from 'Gaeddal' (Lee's strong supporters)."

The leadership, centered on the pro-Lee faction, is countering with a 'Kim Geon-hee special prosecutor,' which could further strain relations between the ruling and opposition parties. Last year, the Democratic Party, leveraging its overwhelming 169 seats, pressured the government and ruling party by attempting to pass a motion to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and blocking a motion to arrest Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Woong-rae, in response to the prosecution's narrowing investigation targeting Lee Jae-myung.