Special Prosecutor Raids Lee Junseok's Home Over Kim Keonhee Case
Reform Party Cancels First Supreme Council Meeting Under Lee's Leadership
Kim Sungyeol Criticizes Special Prosecutor's Actions as "Political Calculation"
Lee Junseok, who was elected as the party leader of the Reform New Party with 98% support in the party leader election, is delivering his acceptance speech at the 2nd National Party Convention of the Reform New Party held on the 27th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building large conference room. Photo by Yonhap News
Appearing on Channel A's radio show "Political Signal" that morning, Lee said, "The timing is quite a coincidence. The party convention has just ended, we are discussing new leadership plans, and the media should be paying attention to these matters, but now a search and seizure has taken place."
Earlier that morning, the special prosecutor investigating allegations of nomination interference by former President Yoon Sukyeol and his wife from the People Power Party conducted a search and seizure at Lee's residence in Sanggye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul. The special prosecutor appears to have been seeking materials related to the so-called "Myung Taegyun nomination interference allegations" from 2022, when Lee was the leader of the People Power Party.
It has been determined that Lee is being investigated as a reference witness in this case.
Lee stated, "From the special prosecutor's perspective, they are probably curious about what former President Yoon Sukyeol and Representative Yoon Sanghyun discussed, and what conversations I had with them." He continued, "I clearly stated last November, when I appeared before the prosecution, what I did and did not say. But since the investigative body has changed, I suppose they want to check further."
In addition, it is known that the special prosecutor plans to verify the details of a meeting that took place at Chilbulsa Temple in Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, ahead of the April 10 general election last year, where Lee met with Myung Taegyun, former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Youngsun, and Reform Party floor leader Chun Haram. Reportedly, at this meeting, former lawmaker Kim demanded the number one spot on the Reform Party's proportional representation list in exchange for revealing Kim Keonhee's alleged involvement in the nomination process.
The Reform Party originally planned to hold its first Supreme Council meeting under Lee's leadership that day, but canceled it due to the sudden search and seizure. The previous day, the Reform Party had held its second party convention and formed a new leadership team, including Lee and the Supreme Council members.
Kim Sungyeol, Supreme Council member of the Reform Party, wrote on his Facebook page that day, "It is not as if the party convention was not announced, and yet a search and seizure is conducted the day after the party leader's inauguration. This is a thoroughly political calculation." He added, "Moreover, Lee is not even a suspect but merely a reference witness. This cannot be anything other than an excessive investigation."
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