Lee Jun-seok: "Yoon is confident of impeachment dismissal... Seems to be receiving incorrect reports"

"Likely to Intervene in Early Presidential Election"

Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform New Party, claimed regarding the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol, "If the impeachment is upheld, President Yoon will engage in private residence politics at Acrovista (the president's residence)" and "He will practically intervene in the early presidential election."

On the 18th, Lee said on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "I am confident that the president will take a very strong offensive mode." He added, "After the impeachment, the People Power Party's primary process will begin, and at that time, he will try to show his supporters in any way possible that 'I am still alive.'"

When the host asked, "Does this mean President Yoon is telling his supporters not to accept the impeachment trial results and to come out to the square?" Lee replied, "I don't know if it will be that direct," but added, "He will communicate in their own language." He explained, "For example, if President Yoon says, 'Please protect liberal democracy,' his supporters might interpret it differently."

President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was released from Seoul Detention Center, is seen raising his hand to supporters as he gets out of the car in front of his residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Yonhap News

He continued, "Members of the People Power Party will try to reveal Yoon's intentions through whether they visit the private residence or not," and said, "We need to watch how much they will follow the fallen great tree. Politics is a ruthless world." He added, "If the impeachment is upheld, it will be a political death for President Yoon," and "Then, a period of mourning (?喪, finishing mourning and taking off mourning clothes) is necessary for a future-oriented primary, and this process will take at least a month."

Lee said, "President Yoon and his close aides currently believe the impeachment will be dismissed," and added, "The president has often been misled by incorrect reports during important events like the Busan Expo and the giant whale incident. Perhaps the aides are again reporting a wrong atmosphere this time."

He also urged the Constitutional Court to deliver a swift impeachment verdict. Lee said, "The impeachment decision is taking an unusually long time," and "It should be done as soon as possible. Isn't it true that we are failing to respond while former U.S. President Donald Trump is recklessly pushing forward early in his term?" He explained, "Before the 2017 impeachment verdict, there were many talks about dismissal or rejection, but the result was 8 to 0. Comparing the charges against former President Park Geun-hye and President Yoon, Yoon's are much more serious."