The Democratic Party applies all-round pressure on Lee Jae-myung to "turn yourself in"... Opposition claims "due to prosecutorial coercion"

On the 11th, the People Power Party urged Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to resign, saying, "Political life is not more important than a human life," in relation to the death of the first chief secretary during Lee's tenure as governor of Gyeonggi Province.

Assemblyman Jang Dong-hyuk [Image source=Yonhap News]

Jang Dong-hyuk, the party's floor spokesperson, said in a statement, "If you are innocent, step down from the leadership position and say, 'I planned and directed everything. I take responsibility.' Then clarify your innocence. That is the image of a party leader and politician." He added, "The deceased had often expressed disappointment toward the leader. In the suicide note, it was also written, 'Please quit politics now.'" He criticized, "Nevertheless, the leader called the prosecution's actions 'madness' and 'crazy stabbing,' lashing out at the prosecution with harsh words. He is deliberately turning his head away from the deceased."

He continued, "Have you thought about how the bereaved families feel watching the leader like that?" and questioned, "What do you think was the reason they had to wait six hours just to pay their respects?"

Jang, the floor spokesperson, also said, "Those who trusted the leader and sacrificed everything for him," and added, "If you cannot even protect the people closest to you, how can you be responsible for the country and its citizens?" He raised his voice, saying, "What the leader is doing now is definitely not 'politics.' Politics is responsibility and life."

Supreme Council member Tae Young-ho wrote on Facebook, "Lee Jae-myung! Your people are dying. They are the same people. People like you are ruining the country," and said, "How can you be like this when people have died? Your own people could face such a fate again. Please turn yourself in quickly."

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo wrote on social media, "It feels like watching the movie Asura starring Hwang Jung-min as Mayor An Nam. The Hwang Jung-min in that movie had a demonic vitality."

On the other hand, the Democratic Party claimed that the death of the first chief secretary during Lee's tenure as governor of Gyeonggi Province was also due to the prosecution's coercive investigation. Deputy spokesperson Seo Yong-joo said at a National Assembly briefing, "How many more people must die before the ruthless investigation by the Yoon Seok-youl prosecution stops?" and asked, "If this is the prosecution's investigation method, how is it different from a wild sword dance?" He urged, "Stop judicial murder disguised as investigation and put down the blood-stained sword."