Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, shared his feelings on the 9th as he faced his fifth investigation by the prosecution. Lee stated, "I am sorry and ashamed," but also declared, "I will unwaveringly follow the path mandated by the people and history."
On the same day, Lee posted a statement titled "Position on Prosecutor's Appearance" on social media, saying, "I do not know if the prosecution's political manipulation will ever end, but today marks the fifth time I appear for another investigation by the prosecution," and added, "Even in times when the lives of the people are extremely difficult and harsh, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is putting all its effort solely into eliminating me, their political opponent. I am sorry and ashamed to keep showing you such a situation."
He said, "During the past ten days since I started fasting, I have heard many sighs and appeals," and "People who came from all over the country worried about me, and the Itaewon bereaved families. We ended up comforting each other and shedding tears together." Lee has been fasting for ten days now, vowing to prevent the destruction of democracy.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is talking with fellow lawmakers during the Education, Social, and Culture questions to the government session held at the National Assembly plenary hall on the 8th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
He stated, "The government is obsessed with covering up the unjust death of a young soldier who fulfilled his military duty, a government that not only fails to protect the lives and safety of its people but also tries to strip sovereignty from the people, the true sovereigns, and a regime that instills the fear of war among the people. No matter how great the trials given to me are, can they compare to the pain and frustration the people are currently experiencing?" He added, "I will stop the ruthless violence and regression of power. Until the Republic of Korea, a democratic republic where the people are the masters, is restored to its rightful place, I will not avoid any thorny path."
Lee said, "I will surely win against the political prosecution's fabricated investigation aimed at covering up the incompetence and failure of the administration and deceiving the people," and "The darker the darkness becomes, the clearer the cry for justice will be. I will not yield to the oppression of power and will unwaveringly follow the path mandated by the people and history."
Below is the full text of Lee’s statement posted on social media.
Respected citizens, beloved party members!
I do not know if the prosecution’s political manipulation will ever end,
but today marks the fifth time I appear for another investigation by the prosecution.
Even in times when the lives of the people are extremely difficult and harsh,
the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is putting all its effort solely into eliminating me, their political opponent.
I am sorry and ashamed to keep showing you such a situation.
In one year and three months of the Yoon government, the economy and livelihood of the Republic of Korea are sinking.
When I opened my eyes, it was a backward country; the administration’s irresponsibility and incompetence have become the norm.
The Yoon Seok-yeol administration bypasses the National Assembly and even considers the ruling party a nuisance,
resulting in the disappearance of the separation of powers.
The prosecution has stepped to the forefront of politics, public authority has been privatized as the ruling power’s exclusive property,
and democracy has disappeared.
They use all kinds of power to snatch the rope in a tug-of-war,
leaving the opposition no choice but to fight alongside the people.
During the past ten days since I started fasting, I have heard many sighs and appeals.
People who came from all over the country worried about me, and the Itaewon bereaved families.
We ended up comforting each other and shedding tears together.
Making a living feels like a war,
and this government’s ideological war, suddenly labeling independence heroes who died before liberation as communists, is utterly outrageous.
The government is obsessed with covering up the unjust death of a young soldier who fulfilled his military duty,
and instead of protecting the lives and safety of the people,
it tries to strip sovereignty even from the people, the true sovereigns,
and is a regime that instills the fear of war among the people...
No matter how great the trials given to me are,
can they compare to the pain and frustration the people are currently experiencing?
I feel infinite responsibility in the face of the people’s desperate cry, "Is this a country?"
I will stop the ruthless violence and regression of power.
Until the Republic of Korea, a democratic republic where the people are the masters, is restored to its rightful place,
I will not avoid any thorny path.
I will surely win against the political prosecution’s fabricated investigation aimed at covering up the incompetence and failure of the administration and deceiving the people.
I will revive the livelihood abandoned by the administration and protect the democracy destroyed by the administration.
Even during the dark dictatorship era,
poet Kim Soo-young sang,
"When the night comes where neither the golden trumpet nor the village is visible,
The waterfall falls with a straight sound.
A straight sound is a sound.
A straight sound calls for a straight sound."
Respected citizens,
The darker the darkness becomes, the clearer the cry for justice will be.
I will not yield to the oppression of power and will unwaveringly follow the path mandated by the people and history.
Thank you.
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