Lee Nak-yeon "Both Ruling and Opposition Leaders Face Judicial Risks... First Time Since Establishment"

"Jokokdang Expresses Anger at Yoon Administration Amid Rising Storm"
"Judicial Risks Likely After General Election... Need to Consider"

Lee Nak-yeon, co-representative of Saeroun Mirae, said on the 28th, "Since the founding of the Republic of Korea, it is probably the first time that both ruling and opposition party leaderships are carrying judicial risks," and urged, "Please pay attention to me, Lee Nak-yeon, and Saeroun Mirae, who have no judicial risks, as the last bastion of democratic forces."

On the 28th, Lee appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and pointed out, "In the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the president's family members have become criminal suspects, and the opposition party aiming to judge this also has all its leaders either attending trials, being defendants, or imprisoned," adding, "Can we teach our children to live cleanly?" He said, "For the future of the Republic of Korea and for our children's education, I earnestly ask you to support forces and leaders without judicial risks as the last bastion."

Lee Nak-yeon, Co-Chair of New Future.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Regarding the evaluation that Saeroun Mirae's approval rating is low compared to the expectations right after the launch of the third zone, he explained, "Looking at the current public opinion landscape in Honam and nationwide, the Joguk Innovation Party is causing a considerable stir," and "Because it expresses the anger against the Yoon Seok-yeol administration in a concentrated way, the people are giving their support." He continued, "People's hearts tend to sympathize with and express the anger they feel together when they are angry," and said, "We tend to pursue alternatives, but the phenomenon of leaning towards expressing the people's emotions as they are is also a reality that must be acknowledged."

On the assessment that the Joguk Innovation Party holds an advantage in approval ratings, he said, "Compared to the Democratic Party of Korea and former leader Song Young-gil, former Minister Cho Kuk seems to have a psychology of 'having suffered enough' or 'having been excessively targeted,'" and "Also, since their claims are concentrated on one point, such as prosecutorial judgment, it seems to come across clearly." However, he added, "There is a concern about what to do when the judicial risks of the Joguk Innovation Party become a reality after the general election."

Regarding the criticism that his approval rating is significantly behind Min Hyung-bae, the Democratic Party candidate who is running together in Gwangsan-gu Eul, Gwangju, he predicted, "There have been many cases where pre-election polls and vote counts differed significantly," and "The gap is likely narrowing more than the poll results indicate." Lee said, "People will remember when former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun was elected in Jongno-gu, Seoul, during the 2016 general election, or the 2010 Seoul mayoral election contest between Democratic Party candidate Han Myeong-sook and Saenuri Party candidate Oh Se-hoon," adding, "Due to election law prohibitions, it is difficult to disclose numbers, but I understand the difference was over 10%."