Embattled opposition party chief claims innocence as prosecutors close in on confidant

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Wed, November 29, 2023 | 23:35

Law & Crime

Embattled opposition party chief claims innocence as prosecutors close in on confidant

Posted : 2022-10-21 17:04

Updated : 2022-10-24 22:16

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Newsis

Rep. Lee of Democratic Party of Korea calls for special counsel to conduct corruption probe

By Jung Min-ho

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Lee Jae-myung denied allegations of involvement Friday as his right-hand man faces arrest for allegedly receiving bribes prosecutors believe were used to finance Lee's election campaigns.

Lee called for a new investigation led by an independent counsel, as he accused the prosecutors of carrying out a "political repression" campaign on behalf of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Lee's proposal to appoint an independent counsel comes a day after prosecutors asked judges to issue an arrest warrant for Kim Yong, who served as the head of Lee's campaign for the party's presidential primary, on charges of receiving 847 million won ($600,000) in illegal political funds from real estate developers between April and August 2021. The suspicions against Lee are that he gave favors to the developers when he was the mayor of Seongnam (2010-18).

"I did not receive even a piece of candy, let alone presidential campaign funds," Lee said at a press conference at the National Assembly. "I officially ask the president and the ruling party to accept my proposal to appoint a special prosecutor … Yoon's prosecutors appear to even fabricate the case while overlooking the facts and stepping up for the blatant act of political repression."

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) immediately rejected his proposal, saying it is just a tactic to delay the investigation. Rep. Joo Ho-young, its floor leader, told reporters that Lee appears to be trying to water down the seriousness of the allegations he faces.

There is little incentive for the ruling party to accept the proposal as it means giving the DPK, which holds a majority in the Assembly, what could be a life-saving opportunity. The DPK will get to have a say over who should be the special prosecutor and how far the investigation can go. It will also take a long time to start the process and finish the investigation.

Speaking to reporters after his statement, Lee vowed to push ahead with the unilateral passage of a bill to appoint a special prosecutor if the PPP refuses to accept his proposal. He added that the bill would include an investigation into criminal allegations surrounding Yoon.

When asked whether he received any money from Kim, Lee said he was not sure about his legal donations.

Yoo Dong-gyu, former acting president of Seongnam Development Corp. and one of the key figures in the scandal-ridden development project in Seongnam, leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Friday, after attending a hearing on the case. Yonhap

The ongoing corruption investigation intensified after Yoo Dong-gyu, former acting president of Seongnam Development Corp., told prosecutors that Kim asked him for 2 billion won in February 2021 for Lee's election campaign.

Yoo later told Nam Wook, a key figure in the scandal-ridden development project, about the demand. Nam then collected 800 million won in cash and tried to give it to Kim through Yoo and another alleged accomplice, Jung Min-yong. Prosecutors believe Kim received about 600 million won out of the money.

Nam is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the corruption scandal centering on a little-known asset management firm called Hwacheon Daeyu, which rewarded certain investors with massive profits from a development project in Seongnam's Daejang District. Nam reportedly made more than 100 billion won after investing only about 87 million won.

Rep. Park Hong-keun, the DPK's floor leader, accused the prosecution of making dirty deals with Yoo, who was released from jail early Thursday after a legal expiration of his detainment period. He was arrested and indicted last year for his alleged roles in the scandal.

As part of their investigation, prosecutors on Thursday tried to raid the Institute for Democracy, the DPK's in-house think tank located inside the party's headquarters in Seoul. The execution of a search warrant was foiled by the lawmakers and party officials blocking the path. Kim is a deputy chief of the think tank.

Instead of detaining the people who blocked the search, Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok asked DPK lawmakers for cooperation during an Assembly audit later, saying that investigators were able to search even the presidential office during the former Park Geun-hye administration.

mj6c2@koreatimes.co.kr