[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the 16th, Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, responded to Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who opposed the prosecution investigation, saying, "I think the stage of hiding behind empty conspiracy theories or showing off power that do not fit the context passed a long time ago."
Minister Han visited the National Assembly on the same day to attend the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and told reporters, "Many people have been indicted and many have been detained in cases related to the investigation of Representative Lee, and some have even lost their lives in the process."
He emphasized, "I think it would be better to speak with facts and evidence now," adding, "I believe that is what it means to respond confidently to the investigation, including that person and the Democratic Party."
He continued, "All these investigations started during the previous Moon Jae-in administration. Are you saying that the Moon Jae-in administration began personal revenge?" and added, "The current matters do not fit the frame of personal revenge at all. It is simply a criminal investigation."
Regarding claims from some within the Democratic Party about political motives ahead of the return of former Ssangbangwool Group Chairman Kim Sung-tae on the 17th, he said, "It is the state's duty to do its best to catch criminals who manipulate stock prices by hunting down legitimate companies, embezzle money, pay bribes to politicians, and secretly send money to North Korea, especially when they flee abroad during an investigation."
Minister Han said, "I don't understand why the Democratic Party is so sensitive about this extradition and tries to find fault in any way," adding, "What the public is really curious about is not the 'backers catching gangsters' as the Democratic Party says, but the 'backers of the gangsters'."
Regarding former Chairman Kim's claim in a media interview in Thailand before his return that he "has never met Representative Lee," he pointed out, "It is common for serious criminals who fled abroad to choose a media outlet to deliver their position unilaterally just before returning, to have the report favor them, and to send a kind of signal to related parties to coordinate their stories. This has happened frequently in the past."
He added, "Recently, Nam Wook and Choi Seo-won did the same," and said, "That did not stop criminal investigations, and it will be the same this time."
Minister Han also addressed the fact that Representative Lee received a summons from the prosecution on the 27th regarding allegations of corruption in the Wirye and Daejang-dong development projects, stating, "Whether it is Seongnam FC or Daejang-dong, these are local corruption crimes that occurred in Seongnam City," and added, "The prosecution will conduct a fair investigation following the usual procedures for local corruption investigations."
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