"Public Humiliation Not Enough, Judicial Murder"…Democrats Push for 'Kim Geonhee Special Prosecutor'

Lee Jae-myung Calls Prosecution's Appearance Request "Opposition Suppression"
"A Deception to Avoid Lunar New Year Table Talk"

[Asia Economy Reporters Oh Ju-yeon and Park Jun-i] As the prosecution notified Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, of a summons for investigation on the 27th of this month, the Democratic Party countered with the 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor' card.

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the party members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 17th, "On the eve of the great national holiday Seol, when it would be insufficient even to deliver hope to the people, the new message from the Yoon administration is once again political retaliation and opposition suppression," adding, "As approval ratings plummet again due to government failure, incompetence, and coercive intervention in party leadership, this is nothing but a deception trying to avoid being the topic of Seol holiday tables."

He continued, "Despite overwhelming evidence of Kim Geon-hee's alleged stock manipulation of Deutsche Motors, she has never been summoned even once," emphasizing, "We will push for a Kim Geon-hee special prosecutor and restore the lost trust in public authority."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the meeting, criticism poured out over the prosecution's demand for Lee Jae-myung's summons regarding the 'Wirye and Daejang-dong development corruption allegations.'

Park Beom-gye, a member of the Democratic Party and chairman of the Prosecution Dictatorship Political Oppression Countermeasures Committee, spoke at the meeting, saying, "We are in an era of total abuse of power by authorities that uphold democracy and the rule of law, collectively trying to destroy the previous government and Representative Lee Jae-myung," and criticized, "Not only are they publicly humiliating the leader of the main opposition party through investigations, but now they are attempting judicial murder."

Earlier in the morning, the Political Oppression Countermeasures Committee, along with the Deutsche Motors Stock Manipulation Investigation Task Force (TF), the floor leadership, and party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to protest, stating, "We condemn the political prosecution that turns a blind eye to the investigation of Kim Geon-hee and conducts targeted, biased, and fabricated investigations against Representative Lee Jae-myung and the previous government."

At the meeting, Park also raised his voice over the statement made by Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon in December last year before the National Assembly plenary session vote on the arrest warrant for Representative Roh Woong-rae, where Han requested the arrest warrant saying, "There is even a recording of the sound of money envelopes rustling," saying, "What do they think of the National Assembly? Dear members, let us be outraged. Let us fight together." He emphasized, "We must not leave our people to live in such times," and sincerely appealed, "I earnestly urge everyone to unite firmly around Representative Lee and fight against the ruthless government and prosecution."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

There was also a demand for the dismissal of Minister Lee Sang-min regarding responsibility for the Itaewon tragedy. Representative Oh Young-hwan said, "Minister Lee, who clearly committed dereliction of duty and professional negligence causing death, has become a symbol of shame showing that the Yoon government never takes responsibility," and added, "Minister Lee must be dismissed."

Meanwhile, at the meeting, Representative Lee avoided detailed comments on the prosecution's investigation of himself and focused on highlighting the failure of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's livelihood policies, saying, "Due to the harsh livelihood cold wave, the people's suffering is great." He criticized, "With the livelihood economy at a crossroads between life and death, urgent measures must be established," and said, "The people watching the ruthless and irresponsible Yoon Seok-yeol administration, which does not even glance at the suffering people and the economy on the brink of collapse, feel despair."

Representative Lee condemned, "Regarding the bipartisan call to unite efforts to protect the people's lives, the Yoon administration is responding solely with opposition suppression," and stated, "Even now, they must recognize the grave responsibility of state affairs and devote themselves to reviving the collapsing regional economy."