Handonghun: "Judge Intimidation, Self-Harm"... Ruling Party Tightens Pressure on Lee Jae-myung with 'Eat-and-Run Prevention Law and TF' Attack

Handonghun "Demonizing Judges After Prosecutors... Ruining the Country"
Movement to Legislate Return of 43.4 Billion Won in Presidential Election Expenses
Ruling Party Forms TF and Begins Monitoring for Swift Trials

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, on the 18th labeled the outdoor rally hosted by the Democratic Party of Korea as a "judge intimidation rally" and criticized the attendance of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, saying, "Engaging in judicial obstruction by intimidating judges is akin to self-harm that invites severe punishment."

Han has been pressuring Lee, who received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act on the 15th, and within the ruling party, efforts such as proposing a law to prevent election cost evasion are underway to tighten the opposition's offensive. Politically, this is interpreted as a strategy to shake the Democratic Party, which is currently consolidating a one-leader system under Lee Jae-myung, and to provoke division within the opposition.

At the highest council meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, Han referred to the Democratic Party's rally titled "Condemnation of Kim Geon-hee and Yoon Seok-youl's State Power Abuse and Call for Special Prosecutor," saying, "Subornation of perjury is a representative judicial obstruction crime, and they are becoming more extreme as the sentencing approaches."

Han criticized, "The Democratic Party has twice damaged the judicial system of the Republic of Korea for their own protection. The first was the complete removal of the prosecution's investigative authority (검수완박, Geomsu Wanbak), and the second is judge intimidation," adding, "Nevertheless, the attempt to shield Lee Jae-myung through Geomsu Wanbak and judge intimidation is ultimately failing. After demonizing prosecutors, they are now demonizing judges, truly ruining the country."

He continued, "The Geomsu Wanbak, which the Democratic Party pushed through by a snap vote at the end of April 2022, just before the regime change, was intended to prevent investigation into the subornation of perjury case scheduled for sentencing next Monday (the 25th)," and added, "However, this malicious attempt was thwarted by the enforcement decree of the restoration of the prosecution's investigative authority (검수원복, Geomsu Wonbok) in September 2022."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is wearing a stern expression at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Meanwhile, the ruling party has proposed a law to prevent evasion of election costs amounting to 43.4 billion won while pressuring Lee. Earlier, on the 15th, Assemblywoman Cho Eun-hee introduced a bill to amend the Public Official Election Act and the Political Funds Act under this title. If Lee is confirmed to have committed a violation of the Public Official Election Act resulting in a nullification of election, he must return the 43.4 billion won in election expenses.

Specifically, the bill includes provisions to suspend the refund of deposits and election cost reimbursements if a candidate is indicted for a serious crime warranting nullification of election or is reported by the Election Commission, and if the party obligated to return election costs due to the candidate's nullification fails to do so, the amount can be deducted from the party's regular subsidies.

The People Power Party's Legal Advisory Committee (Chairman Assemblyman Joo Jin-woo) has also launched a task force (TF) to prevent trial delays and plans to urge the swift progress of the second and third trials regarding Lee's violation of the Public Official Election Act.

Assemblyman Joo explained, "In the second trial, Lee is expected to employ tactics such as frequent changes of defense counsel, requests for date changes or postponements, requests to avoid certain judges, impeachment of judges, claims of unconstitutionality, and excessive witness requests," adding, "While the first trial may have been delayed for over two years through such tricks, now the People Power Party will monitor the process together with the public." The TF team leader will be Attorney Kang Tae-wook (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 37), head of Trinity Law Firm.

Handonghun, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin