At Yangsan Rally in South Gyeongsang, Targets Former President Yoon
"Only Used Power Entrusted by the People to Harass"
Also Criticizes Investigation into Former President Moon Jaein
On May 22, Lee Jaemyung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, commented on former President Yoon Sukyeol, stating, "He failed to properly carry out even a single one of the tasks we entrusted to him with our power and taxes. Instead, he used that power and budget to betray the people, throw the country into chaos, and even destroy the Constitution. In this situation, not only should he be removed from office, but even punishment would not be enough."
At a campaign rally held that day at Yangsan Water Park in South Gyeongsang Province, Lee made these remarks in response to former President Yoon's public activities, such as attending a screening of a film dealing with election fraud allegations. Regarding the election fraud theory, Lee said, "If I were to commit fraud, wouldn't I make myself win decisively, rather than lose by a small margin? Please make reasonable arguments," he said, raising his voice.
Lee also criticized the investigations into former President Moon Jaein and himself during the Yoon Sukyeol administration. He said, "Former President Moon has been indicted and now has to travel hundreds of kilometers back and forth to Seoul, even having to undergo a two-day trial. Does he now have to rent a house in Seoul just to attend court?" He then referenced the investigation into himself, criticizing, "Should the power entrusted by the people be used to harass someone?"
He also spoke about national unity, saying, "Some members of the public are divided and even seek to harm each other. By splitting into factions, my side and your side, the people have ultimately been divided." Lee added, "It is already lamentable that the North and South are divided and fighting, but the Park Chunghee dictatorship divided the country along east and west lines and incited conflict. Now, there are people trying to divide generations and make them fight. There are even those who try to pit men and women against each other. How can the country go on like this?" he said emphatically.
Lee expressed support for the Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang megacity initiative, which was advocated by former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyungsoo during the Democratic Party's primary, saying, "It must be done. It is something that absolutely needs to be accomplished in the long term." In addition, he highlighted the necessity of local development, emphasizing, "Now, the entire country has enough capital to achieve balanced development, so everyone across the nation should be able to enjoy equal opportunities."
Lee also expressed his intention to carry on the political philosophy of former President Roh Moo-hyun. He said, "There is much to learn from the words of our former President Roh Moo-hyun, but the one that impressed me the most was, 'The people are the nation itself.'"
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