Park Hong-geun: "Approval of Lee's Arrest Warrant is Yoon's Official Sanction of 'Eliminating Political Opponents'"

On the 21st, Democratic Party Members' Meeting
"Warrant Request Filled with Unreasonable Claims, Political Warrant
Appealing with Fabricated Charges... No Evidence Beyond False Testimony"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Democratic Party of Korea held a party caucus on the 21st to gather opinions from party members on the voting plan ahead of the approval of the arrest consent bill for Representative Lee Jae-myung. They strongly criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol’s approval of the arrest consent request for Lee the previous day as a political investigation aimed at suppressing the opposition party and as a 'removal of a political rival' who was a competitor in the last presidential election.

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at a party meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 21st. The Democratic Party will discuss the issue of processing the consent to arrest Representative Lee following the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant at this party meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader, said in his opening remarks at the party caucus held at the National Assembly in the afternoon, "President Yoon’s approval of this arrest consent bill cannot be dismissed as a mere procedural matter," adding, "It can only be seen as the president’s official sanction to 'eliminate a political rival,' targeting a former presidential competitor and the current leader of the largest opposition party."

He pointed out, "The warrant request submitted by the prosecution is a 'defective warrant' that fails to meet even the minimum requirements and a 'political warrant' filled with forced claims to compensate for insufficient evidence," and added, "The prosecution’s claim that the reason for detention is 'because he is the leader of the main opposition party' only confesses that the investigation is following President Yoon’s scenario."

Park criticized, "The prosecution fills an unprecedentedly large volume with language akin to a political verdict to create 'nonexistent crimes' and appeal," and said, "From Daejang-dong to Seongnam FC, from North Korea remittances to Wirye, they have fabricated a forced warrant request by chasing dust that does not come out, unable to find the right target."

He continued, "There is not a single piece of evidence other than forced fabrication, manipulation, and false testimony, yet the approval of the president’s arrest consent bill because he is the 'opposition party leader'?all of this is the reality created by Yoon Seok-yeol’s prosecutorial dictatorship," and criticized, "The prosecution’s intentional sloppy investigation culminated in the acquittal of former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do on the 5 billion won case, and the stock manipulation allegations against Mrs. Kim Geon-hee were completely covered up by the arrest consent bill for Representative Lee."

He then urged party members, saying, "This is not only a problem for the Democratic Party but an issue that concerns the lives of the people and democracy," and emphasized, "I believe you will make a wise judgment."

Earlier, President Yoon approved the arrest consent request for Representative Lee, who had a detention warrant requested due to allegations of preferential treatment in the Wirye and Daejang-dong development projects and suspicions regarding donations to Seongnam FC. The arrest consent request, sent to the National Assembly on the morning of the day, is scheduled to be reported to the plenary session on the 24th and then undergo a secret ballot vote at the plenary session on the 27th.