Prosecutors Summon Lee Jae-myung... Opposition Urges "Unite as a Single Front" in Support

Floor Leadership "Clear Opposition Suppression"
About 30 Lawmakers Including Party Supreme Council Accompany Lee Jae-myung
"Retaliatory Investigation" Condemned

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Ahead of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, appearing at the Seongnam District Prosecutors' Office on the 10th, the opposition party actively came forward to defend him, saying "We must unite as a single front."

Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, said at the party's floor countermeasure meeting that day, "Today, Leader Lee voluntarily appears before the prosecution," adding, "This is the first time in our constitutional history that the sitting leader of the main opposition party has been summoned by the prosecution."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "The Seongnam FC case is one that the prosecution investigated intensively for three years and ultimately dismissed due to lack of evidence," criticizing, "When the Yoon Seok-yeol administration conducted indiscriminate investigations into the Daejang-dong allegations and found nothing, they resorted to digging up even cases that had been closed without charges, which can only be seen as political oppression against the opposition."

Kim Seong-hwan, chairman of the Policy Planning Committee, also called it "clear political oppression," stating, "The Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution shakes out every speck of dust from the main opposition party leader as if performing an Indian rain dance, yet despite overwhelming evidence in Kim Kun-hee's Deutsche Motors case, they have not even investigated it. They must answer why."

Party leadership and some lawmakers emphasized the need to support Leader Lee. Kim Nam-guk, a Supreme Council member, responded to concerns on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that this could be seen as shielding him, saying, "Political comrades are those who stand together in difficult and challenging times."

He added, "In the case of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, they changed the deputy chief prosecutor in charge of the investigation just two months after his appointment, reassigning him as a demotion, and are conducting investigations that either shake out dust or fabricate cases by planting dust if none is found. At times like this, it is appropriate for us to unite and support each other as a single front."

Kim Min-seok, a three-term lawmaker, also wrote on Facebook that day, "It is the day Leader Lee appears before the prosecution. I hope this will be the beginning of confidently responding, gaining the public's trust, and legally winning," adding, "The party will unite without wavering and move forward with the people toward better livelihoods, economy, and democracy. I will also think and work harder."

On the same day, about 30 party leaders and lawmakers, including Floor Leader Park, accompanied Leader Lee on his way to the appearance. At the scene, Floor Leader Park said, "In the face of the prosecution's ruthless blade against Leader Lee Jae-myung, our Democratic Party lawmakers are here together, defining this as a political retaliation investigation against Lee Jae-myung, not as an individual but as a presidential contender and opposition party leader," raising his voice, "The prosecution has already presumed indictment and is proceeding with a forced fit, but as Leader Lee said, the truth will surely be revealed in court."

Jeong Cheong-rae, Supreme Council member, said, "This investigation, which is aimed at eliminating political rivals and killing Lee Jae-myung, will never succeed," adding, "We will inform the entire nation about the unjust investigation against Leader Lee and our Democratic Party lawmakers and members will unite tightly to protect Lee and the party."

Jeong also criticized, "Did Leader Lee have any role in securing advertising related to (Seongnam FC)? Knowing this situation clearly and pushing it forward like this is a politically motivated retaliatory investigation." Seo Young-kyo, Supreme Council member, also said, "(The charges against Leader Lee) are not third-party bribery."