Lee Jae-myung silent on summons questions
Hardline remarks from party leadership
Ruling party: "Cannot cover up corruption allegations linked to gangsters"
[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Park Jun-i] Regarding the prosecution's summons request for Representative Lee Jae-myung in connection with the Daejang-dong scandal, the Democratic Party of Korea showed a heated reaction. The Democratic Party also responded by mentioning allegations such as Kim Geon-hee's stock manipulation suspicions. The People Power Party urged Representative Lee to comply with the prosecution's summons, citing local corruption and other issues.
On the 17th, Representative Lee met with reporters during a congratulatory speech at a forum on the enactment of the Online Platform Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act held at the National Assembly but left without commenting at all on the prosecution's summons issue. Since the prosecution's summons notice arrived the day before, Representative Lee has officially made no remarks regarding the summons. The party leadership, excluding Representative Lee, has taken the lead in responding to the summons notice.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, said at the party's floor countermeasure meeting that day, "Was the summons six days ago (regarding the Seongnam FC sponsorship allegations) just a rehearsal?" He criticized, "The political prosecution under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has demanded the attendance of the current opposition party leader, who competed against the president in the last presidential election, again within six days and over two days."
Park added, "This Lunar New Year’s table is filled with the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s shame and misrule, anxiously trying to demonize the opposition leader beyond mere humiliation," and condemned, "The Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution’s investigation, which covers up its own side unconditionally while fabricating charges against the opposition, can be described as 'manipulation level'." He also raised suspicions related to Mrs. Kim. Park urged the prosecution to investigate the allegations of stock manipulation involving Mrs. Kim. Jin Seong-jun, the Democratic Party deputy floor leader, visited the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in protest along with the party leadership and the Countermeasures Committee Against Prosecutorial Dictatorship Political Oppression that day.
Kim Seong-hwan, the Democratic Party policy committee chairman, also pointed out, "(The prosecution) is solely focused on killing Representative Lee with a predetermined answer," and said, "I feel this behavior of the prosecution is very unfair."
However, voices of concern about the prolonged judicial risks related to Representative Lee also emerged within the party. Woo Sang-ho, a Democratic Party lawmaker, expressed concern on YTN Radio’s ‘News King Park Ji-hoon’ program, saying, "It seems suspicious that they keep summoning the leader of the main opposition party in a ‘say anything’ manner to turn him into a criminal and help the People Power Party’s election in the general election."
Concerns about internal party division due to the ongoing prosecution summons also arose. Go Min-jung, a Democratic Party Supreme Council member, criticized the internal voices worried about Representative Lee’s judicial risks, saying, "Because of remarks like those from former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun and Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon calling for separate responses, Representative Lee’s statements on current issues are being overshadowed," and added, "I hope they realize that calls for ‘separate responses’ and ‘escaping judicial risks’ are actually causing a backlash that keeps pushing our party in that direction."
Seong Il-jong, the People Power Party policy committee chairman, said at the floor countermeasure meeting, "If you are confident, come out through the door you entered," addressing Representative Lee. He pointed out, "You criticize political oppression and political prosecution to cover up your own corruption, but you cannot cover up the allegations of colluding with gangs and making corrupt deals with local powers." Seong’s mention of local powers relates to remarks made the previous day by Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Minister Han told reporters regarding Representative Lee’s summons, "Whether it’s Seongnam FC or Daejang-dong, these are allegations of local corruption crimes in Seongnam City," and stated, "The prosecution will conduct a fair investigation following the usual procedures for local corruption investigations."
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