Lee Jae-myung "I will go to the prosecution summons again... It feels like witnessing the birth of a prosecutor dictatorship" (Comprehensive)

"Leadership, Do Not Come to the Lawmakers' Summoning Site"
Feels Like the Birth of a Prosecutorial Dictatorship Government
"Not Meeting Detention Requirements, Are They Trying to Detain Because of the Opposition Leader?"

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Oh Ju-yeon] Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed on the 30th his intention to comply with the prosecution's request for re-summons regarding the allegations of the ‘Wirye New Town and Daejang-dong Development Project Favoritism Case.’ Lee criticized the prosecution, pointing out their investigation methods, content, and the series of processes, saying, "South Korea is turning into a country of prosecutors."

On the same day, Lee held an unannounced press briefing, stating, "This is truly unreasonable, and they are manipulating the case not to discover the truth but for the purpose of indictment," adding, "Although it is truly unjust, since I lost the presidential election due to my shortcomings, I consider this as paying the price. It is humiliating and unfair, but as the loser, since they ask me to come, I will go again (to the prosecution's summons)."

He said, "I was defeated in the election due to my shortcomings, and because of that defeat, various sectors of our society have regressed, and the suffering experienced by our people is immense," adding, "Compared to the pain our people endure and the enormous damage our society suffers as it regresses to the past, can my being kicked and trampled as the winner be compared to the suffering of our people?" He continued, "Since they so earnestly want to summon me again, I will go again."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee asked the Democratic Party leadership and affiliated lawmakers not to accompany him during this prosecution visit. He said, "I ask once again," and "Please really do not come this time (to the summons investigation site)." He explained, "Because this could become a source of conflict and division," and "There is a side that deliberately expects such things, so I earnestly ask you not to come no matter how painful it is." Addressing his supporters, he said, "It is very heartbreaking to see you suffer from the cold dawn until late at night when the investigation ends," adding, "I will go with my lawyer, so please do not suffer too much in the cold weather."

Throughout the press briefing, Lee delivered strong criticism of the prosecution.

He mentioned that during the investigation, the prosecution appeared to be stalling, and when asked about the expected investigation time, they replied, "I cannot answer." He criticized, "The purpose of the summons is not to uncover the truth and reach a conclusion, but to present a conclusion, stall time, distort the case details to fit that conclusion, and create public suspicion as a political act to humiliate, not to investigate." He added, "This is a complete violation of the prosecution's political neutrality obligation."

Lee said, "I think South Korea is turning into a country of prosecutors," and pointed out, "At one time, we suffered tremendous oppression and human rights violations under a military dictatorship, but now it seems like the birth of a prosecutor dictatorship." He added, "Even during the military regime, there was at least an effort to maintain some balance, a pretense, but under the prosecutor dictatorship, there is no such minimum consideration or courtesy," and "I suspect that the Yoon Seok-yeol prosecutor dictatorship is oppressing the people through a reign of terror, eliminating opposition parties, and dreaming of long-term rule centered on the prosecutor dictatorship."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the possibility of the prosecution requesting an arrest warrant against Lee, he said, "There is no clear evidence of the charges, I am not going to flee, I have no fixed residence issues, and I cannot even destroy evidence, so I cannot understand why I am a target for arrest," and asked, "Is it because I am the opposition party leader?"

In response to a question about the prosecution's indictment mentioning that Kim Man-bae agreed to provide half of the Daejang-dong shares, Lee rebutted, "If rumors alone lead to indictment, the rule of law is destroyed." He criticized, "The prosecution does not need evidence," and "If the prosecution claims it and the media writes it, it becomes evidence." He also referred to the additional 112 billion won burden imposed on private developers including Kim in 2016 related to Daejang-dong, saying, "They say I took away my own profit, but does that make sense logically and reasonably?"