DP chairman claims persecution after 12 hours of questioning

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DP chairman claims persecution after 12 hours of questioning

Published: 11 Jan. 2023, 18:45 Updated: 11 Jan. 2023, 19:25

Democratic Party chairman Lee Jae-myung surrounded by supporters at a market in Incheon Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung accused prosecutors of fabricating a politically motivated case against him after answering their questions for 12 hours.

"I have faced the investigation by the political prosecutors without fear," Lee said during a DP leadership meeting held in his constituency, Incheon on Wednesday..

“I will not yield to prosecutors that are attempting to violently distort honest efforts into a criminal act.

“Even if a prosecutor schemes and fabricates, at the end, the people and history always win.”

On Tuesday, the DP leader was questioned by Suwon prosecutors for 12 hours on allegations of a corruption in a corporate sponsorship of a football club.

Lee is accused of offering favors including construction permits and regulation changes on development projects to six companies including Doosan and Naver in exchange for a combined 16 billion won sponsorship of Seongnam’s football club between 2016 and 2018 when Lee was the city’s mayor.

Lee claimed the sponsorships were legitimate and they benefited Seongnam citizens by saving the city from having to underwrite the troubled football club.

Lee toured traditional markets in Incheon on Wednesday, and claimed that Korea's democracy is under threat.

“A wrongful world where public power is abused for personal interest has opened,” Lee said. “Did we ever give power [to Yoon Suk Yeol] to get rid of political rivals? Or to cover their own?”

Lee lost the presidential race of last March to Yoon.

“Protecting Lee Jae-myung can be a protection for everyone,” Lee said.

He accused Yoon of ignoring essential issues such as the economy and national security because he's consumed with power.

Lee was referring to Yoon's reported involvement in the election of the People Power Party’s leadership.

“The economy is damaged and national security has been breached entirely,” Lee said. “Our foundation of existence as a country is under threat.”

Lee said Yoon's incompetence was shown in the recent North Korean drone infiltration.

“Instead of establishing measures and reorganizing [national security], this government is spewing out words that try to hide their incompetence,” Lee said. “The people elect a servant of the public and a worker, not a king,” he added.

“Why would we have picked [a president] if all he does is play and enjoy his position,” Lee said, referring to the accusation that Yoon and Justice Minister Han Dong-soo had a late-night drinking session at a bar last summer with lawyers, a story that turned out to be false.

Democratic Party chairman Lee Jae-myung making a statement after 12 hours of questioning by the Suwon Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday while being surrounded by DP lawmakers. [YONHAP]

Lee left the prosecutors’ office around 11 p.m. Tuesday saying he was certain prosecutors would indict him.

“I have explained faithfully,” Lee said. “But it was clear that the [prosecutors] have set up the case to indict me.”

He said none of the evidence presented to him by prosecutors proved anything.

Walking out of the building, Lee was greeted by 20 DP legislators. He shook hands with every one and thanked other supporters waiting outside.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo, citing an official in the prosecutors’ office, Lee spent most of the 12 hours refusing to answer questions.

“He said more when he stood in front of the cameras before entering the prosecutors’ office,” said the official.

In addition to the corporate sponsorship, Lee is also implicated in other cases being investigated by prosecutors including development projects that were approved when he was mayor of Seongnam, including Daejang-dong.

Prosecutors suspect the Daejang-dong project and others were used to create a political slush fund for Lee.

He is also currently being investigated for violating an election law. He is accused of lying to voters about not knowing an associate, who committed suicide last year during one of the development project investigations.

BY LEE HO-JEONG, KANG BO-HYUN [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]