Hong Joon-pyo: "If the investigation is truthful, Lee Jae-myung goes to prison; if it's a patchwork investigation, the prosecution collapses"

"Patchwork Investigation is Putting the Cart Before the Horse"
Lee Jae-myung, Fifth Indictment Under Yoon Administration

Hong Joon-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, stated regarding the prosecution's investigation into Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, "If the investigation is one that seeks the substantial truth, Lee will go to prison, not the Blue House. However, if the evidence has been fabricated, the prosecution's investigative authority will be abolished, and the prosecution organization itself will be destroyed."

On the 13th, Mayor Hong said through social media (SNS), "In the past, when we were in the prosecution, the prosecution was a standard-bearer of justice that did not yield to power and sought the substantial truth," adding, "Recently, the prosecution seems to frequently engage in patchwork investigations that set a target and fabricate evidence, peaking with the investigation into the Moon Jae-in administration's state affairs manipulation."

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu. [Photo by Yonhap News]

He stated, "The prosecution must collect evidence and determine the substantial truth through that evidence. Patchwork investigations that set a target and fabricate evidence are cases of reversed priorities and fabrication," and added, "Such behavior occasionally seen in the prosecution since the Moon Jae-in administration is truly regrettable."

Mayor Hong said, "Recently, with Lee being indicted for the North Korea remittance case, the number of cases related to Lee has increased to four," and noted, "That case, which could be a double-edged sword for the prosecution, will be closely watched to see how it concludes in court."

He continued, "The off-court disputes among politicians, which are self-serving and not in court, are utterly disgraceful," and added, "Trump's mentality, who pushed forward with his presidential bid despite all kinds of corruption and scandals, is impressive, but Lee's shamelessness resembling Trump is also an impressive mentality."

The day before, the prosecution indicted Lee without detention on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery by a third party), violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, and violation of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act. Lee, who has been indicted five times since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began, will now face four trials simultaneously with this indictment.