Lee Jae-myung's 'right-hand man' questioned as suspect

Politics

Published: 15 Nov. 2022, 19:09 Updated: 16 Nov. 2022, 17:14

Lee Jae-myung's 'right-hand man' questioned as suspect

Reporters wait outside the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul on Tuesday morning for Jeong Jin-sang, vice chief of staff to Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, to show up. Jeong eventually did not face reporters as he stepped into the building. Prosecutors said the aide had asked his appearance not be made public. [NEWS1]

Jeong Jin-sang, vice chief of staff to Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung, was summoned for questioning on Tuesday over bribery and corruption allegations linked to a high-profile real estate development scandal.

Jeong Jin-sang, widely known as Lee’s “right-hand man,” showed up at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul on Tuesday morning to answer questions, many involving Lee.

Jeong did not face reporters as he entered the building. Prosecutors said he asked for his appearance not to be public.

Jeong, who was said to have showed up with a lawyer affiliated with the DP, was questioned as a suspect.

The 54-year-old aide faces allegations that he took nearly 140 million won ($106,700) in bribes from real estate developers linked to the Daejang-dong land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, while he worked for Lee in the Seongnam city government office and Gyeonggi provincial government office.

Lee formerly served as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi.

Prosecutors also believe that Jeong had stakes in the Daejang-dong project under a different name, and was promised 70 billion won in dividends.

It is also alleged that he leaked inside information he obtained while working for the Seongnam city and the Gyeonggi provincial governments to real estate developers, helping them cash in.

He’s also suspected of silencing another key suspect in the scandal and instructing him to throw away his mobile phone to destroy evidence.

While explaining all the allegations to local reporters on Tuesday, prosecutors stressed that Jeong had formed a “political community” with Lee, hinting they were zeroing in on the DP chairman.

Both Lee and Jeong have denied all charges and any wrongdoing, accusing prosecutors and the Yoon Suk-yeol administration of sabotaging them and seeking “political revenge” against them and the DP.

Prosecutors have rejected this claim.

Prosecutors said they were planning to file for a pre-trial detention warrant for Jeong before the end of this week, saying they believe he may try to destroy evidence.

DP lawmakers told the JoongAng Ilbo on Tuesday that the party was scrambling for crisis management.

One pro-Lee lawmaker who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the paper that the party called Jeong in before he showed up for questioning on Tuesday and told him to “refrain from talking as much as possible” when addressing prosecutors.

Some lawmakers are said to be suggesting the DP hold street rallies through the end of the year to protest the prosecution and Yoon government, akin to the candlelight vigils that occurred when former President Park Geun-hye faced corruption charges.

But Lee is said to be against that idea, saying it was “too early” to be rallying.

If public sentiment grows more negative against the Yoon administration, street rallies could be an option, Lee said, according to DP lawmakers who spoke with the JoongAng Ilbo.

An official at Yoon's People Power Party criticized the DP for discussing plans to hold street rallies during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, saying it was "irresponsible" for the majority party to put a hold on legislative procedures to focus on protests.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]