[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Myunghwan] Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on the 13th that he has "never even seen the face of Kim Sung-tae," the former chairman of Ssangbangwool Group, who is suspected of paying his legal fees.
On the same day, during a YouTube live broadcast, Lee said, "What kind of relationship do Ssangbangwool and Lee Jae-myung have?"
He mentioned, "There is nothing about who gave whom how much money and by what method," adding, "I don't know either. It's absurd." He continued, "Why would that person pay my legal fees? Who exactly received the money? Then arrest that person. This is really ridiculous," repeatedly denying the allegations.
Lee also joked, "If there is any connection with Ssangbangwool, it's just that I wore their thermal underwear." He sarcastically added, "Someone wrote a comment saying 'the crime of wearing thermal underwear,' which is really sharp."
Regarding the situation within the party, Lee emphasized, "It's fine to fight, but we shouldn't fight among ourselves," calling it "an act of betrayal." He said, "This is a serious time. The enemy is approaching, yet we fight, spit behind each other's backs, and kick each other. We need to reduce that," adding, "In the end, it ruins everyone."
This appears to be a statement emphasizing the need for a "unified front" in response to dissatisfaction about his "judicial risks" coming mainly from the party's 'Bi-myeong' (anti-Lee Jae-myung) faction.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
