Lee Jae-myung "Unable to Present Evidence, Sympathy for Political Prosecution"... Prosecution "Uncooperative in Investigation" (Summary)

Scheduled for Second Summons Investigation on the 12th

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who appeared at the prosecution on the 9th as a suspect on bribery charges related to the 'Ssangbangwool Group illegal remittance to North Korea' allegations, said, "I feel pity for the political prosecution trying to fabricate crimes."

The prosecution stated that Lee did not cooperate throughout the investigation, refusing to give specific statements and substituting with written statements, and during the review of the investigation record, he insisted that his statements were omitted and left unilaterally without signing the record.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is leaving the building after completing an investigation related to the 'Ssangbangwool Group illegal remittance to North Korea' allegations at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the afternoon of the 9th.

Lee: "I feel pity for the prosecution fabricating crimes... A bad practice that must be eradicated"

The investigation of Lee, which started at 10:30 a.m. that day, ended around 6:30 p.m. after 8 hours when Lee requested a suspension due to health reasons. Afterward, Lee reviewed the investigation record for about 2 hours and 30 minutes from 7 p.m. and left the building around 9:44 p.m.

Lee told the waiting reporters, "I feel pity for the political prosecution trying to fabricate crimes with content that is logically impossible."

He continued, "As expected, no evidence was presented at all. We spent this long time only on hearsay from Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of Ssangbangwool, baseless circumstances, and unrelated stories about provincial government affairs."

Lee also said, "The act of privatizing prosecutorial power to eliminate political opponents and fabricate crimes is precisely a bad practice that must be eradicated."

When asked if he would comply with the prosecution's summons on the 12th, Lee replied, "Isn't it inevitable for a loser to come when the all-powerful prosecution calls and go when it tells to go? Since they said they would summon me again because today's investigation was incomplete, I will go on the fifth or sixth time after negotiating the date."

Prosecution: "Investigation disrupted by refusal to give specific statements... Did not sign the record"

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office stated that Lee was uncooperative throughout the investigation.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said, "Lee's side promised a full-day investigation including late-night questioning after 9 p.m. before his appearance today, and considering the suspect's health condition, the prosecution conducted the investigation to the minimum necessary. However, Lee refused to give specific statements throughout the investigation, substituting with written statements, giving repetitive and lengthy answers unrelated to questions, and focusing on trivial details, thus not cooperating and causing disruption."

They added, "During the review of the investigation record, Lee insisted that his statements were omitted but did not answer which parts were missing, and left unilaterally without signing the record."

They also said that the second summons on the 12th was proposed by Lee's side.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office stated, "Lee's side requested during the investigation that if they could finish by 6 p.m. today, they would appear again on the 12th, which the prosecution accepted."

They expressed regret over the Democratic Party's distortion and criticism that the prosecution was responsible for delaying the investigation and that the prosecution made an additional summons first, stating, "Lee had previously said he would appear on the 12th but reversed his position and refused to set a reappearance date. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office plans to conclude the remaining suspect investigation of Lee on the 12th when he is summoned."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking as he appears on the morning of the 9th at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, to be investigated as a suspect in connection with the allegations of illegal remittances to North Korea by Ssangbangwool Group.

20-minute breaks every 2 hours during investigation... Medical staff and ambulance on standby

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 6 (Chief Kim Young-nam) started the investigation of Lee at 10:30 a.m. and finished around 6:30 p.m. The prosecution, which had originally prepared 150 pages of questions, reportedly narrowed down to core questions considering Lee's ongoing hunger strike.

The investigation was conducted with 20-minute breaks every 2 hours, and after the morning session, there was about a 40-minute break before resuming around 1 p.m. Considering Lee's health on the 10th day of his hunger strike, medical staff were on standby on the 15th floor of the building where the investigation took place, and an ambulance was stationed in front of the building.

The investigation team included Deputy Chief Prosecutor Song Min-kyung (43, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 37) and Prosecutor Park Sang-yong (42, class 38) from the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 6. Lawyer Park Gyun-taek (class 21), former Gwangju High Prosecutor General and head of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, participated as Lee's defense counsel.

Unlike previous investigations, Lee reportedly actively answered some questions this time. He gave relatively detailed statements regarding the third-party bribery allegations related to remittances to North Korea. For certain questions, he reportedly provided answers equivalent to two A4 pages. After the investigation began, Lee disclosed an 8-page written statement on his SNS. The prosecution stated that Lee substituted answers to important questions with written statements or did not answer, instead giving repetitive and lengthy answers unrelated to the questions.

Statement released before investigation... Written statement disclosed on SNS after investigation started

Lee arrived at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office around 10:15 a.m. and before going to the investigation room, he told reporters, "The people are the nation, and those who deny popular sovereignty are anti-state forces. President Yoon Seok-yeol must apologize to the people for acts that destroy democracy, livelihoods, and peace, and for state affairs denying popular sovereignty."

He added, "The direction of state affairs must be completely changed, and the cabinet must resign to reform the government. It is said that flowers do not last ten days. Power may seem strong and eternal, but it is only temporary. History and truth show that regimes that do not fear the people are inevitably judged. Even if political prosecution fabricates and distorts facts, the truth cannot be imprisoned forever."

After reading the prepared statement, Lee did not answer reporters' questions such as "Did you receive reports related to remittances to North Korea?" and went up to the investigation room.

On the morning of the 9th, citizens supporting Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, are holding placards in front of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do.

After the investigation of Lee began, the contents of the written statement submitted to the prosecution were disclosed through his SNS.

In the written statement, Lee stated, "While serving as governor of Gyeonggi Province, I attempted humanitarian support and exchange projects with the North, but I have never provided or requested to provide any money or goods to the North in violation of South Korean laws or UN sanctions under any name."

He also emphasized, "Furthermore, I have never received any improper requests directly or indirectly from so-called Ssangbangwool Group affiliates, nor have I instructed, encouraged, or requested anyone, including the North, to provide money or benefits."

Lee said, "The prosecution's investigation related to Ssangbangwool changed from 'lawyer fee payment on behalf of Lee Jae-myung' to 'payment of North Korea visit expenses.' I have never requested Ssangbangwool to pay money to the North for smart farms or visits, nor do Gyeonggi Province or I have any obligation or reason to provide $8 million or 10 billion won to the North."

Referring to the recent reversal of testimony by former Gyeonggi Peace Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young, Lee said, "The testimonies of Kim Seong-tae and Lee Hwa-young, made under desperate circumstances, lack consistency and credibility. I do not know what Lee Hwa-young testified to the prosecution, but the claim that I approved payment for the North Korea visit is not true, and if there is testimony from Lee Hwa-young supporting that, it is false."

He added, "Lee Hwa-young's false testimony can only be explained by undue pressure and inducement from the prosecution and Kim Seong-tae's group."

Lee Hwa-young reversed testimony to "Reported to Lee Jae-myung" after lawyer changed

The Ssangbangwool illegal remittance to North Korea allegations involve former Ssangbangwool Group chairman Kim Seong-tae sending a total of $8 million to North Korea in 2019, including $5 million for the North Korean smart farm support project that Gyeonggi Province should have paid at the request of former Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young, and $3 million for Lee Jae-myung's visit expenses to North Korea, which the North demanded at the time. The prosecution recently booked Lee on third-party bribery charges, believing he was involved in Ssangbangwool's payment on behalf of others.

Former Deputy Governor Lee, who was arrested and indicted on charges of receiving bribes and political funds from former Chairman Kim, had denied the Ssangbangwool illegal remittance allegations but partially reversed her testimony during the prosecution's investigation in June, stating she requested Ssangbangwool to promote the governor's North Korea visit. However, after the lawyer trusted by Kim was replaced for unclear reasons and a Democratic Party lawyer who had worked in Lee's camp was appointed, she recently reversed her testimony again.