Image Reveals Reversal of Victim and Perpetrator
Lee Urges People Power Party: "Please Face the Truth"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, posted an image photo saying "Please face the truth" after the People Power Party strongly opposed the acquittal in the second trial of his violation of the Public Official Election Act.
On the 29th, Lee posted two image pictures on his Facebook along with a short message saying, "Is it manipulation or not? People Power Party, please face the truth."
The image photo zooms in on a person holding a weapon seemingly about to stab another person. However, when viewing the entire scene, the person holding the weapon was actually the one running away, and the person who appeared to be the victim was the one holding the weapon. It turned out that the perpetrator and the victim were reversed, with the victim becoming the perpetrator and vice versa.
This is interpreted as criticism of the People Power Party raising issues about the appellate court ruling that interpreted Lee's so-called 'golf photo manipulation' remark as meaning 'the photo was enlarged' in the Public Official Election Act trial.
On the 26th, the appellate court acquitted Lee, who was indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act. Previously, in the first trial, Lee was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation. The prosecution judged that one of the grounds for the acquittal was the enlargement of a photo taken during a business trip to Australia of Lee and the late Kim Moon-gi, former head of Development Project Division 1 at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, which was considered 'manipulated.' The photo was posted on social media by Park Soo-young, a People Power Party lawmaker, who raised suspicions that the two played golf together based on this photo.
The appellate court said, "The original photo presented as evidence that Lee played golf with Kim Moon-gi was taken overseas with 10 people at once," and added, "Since a part of the original was cut out, it can be seen as manipulated." Subsequently, People Power Party lawmakers have been posting the enlarged photo on social media, continuing the 'I am a manipulator' challenge. Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "If you go to the Seoul High Court, you might become a photo manipulator, so please do not take close-up shots of me."
Also, Kwon Young-se, emergency committee chairman, criticized at the emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th, saying, "Recognizing the enlargement of the photo as manipulation and acquitting the golf remark makes us doubt the judges' literacy," and added, "The parking violation fine notice was also sent with an enlarged photo, and many citizens are mocking the court saying, 'Since the court said enlarged photos are manipulation, we will not pay the fine.'"
Lee Ki-in, Supreme Council member of the Reform New Party, who first revealed the photo taken together with Lee and the late Kim Moon-gi in December 2021 claiming their friendship, also protested, saying, "Suddenly, I have become a photo manipulator," and added, "It would be better to abolish all zoom functions on cameras and phones."
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