DP's Lee Jae-myung summoned for questioning again

Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung leaves the National Assembly Library in Yeouido, western Seoul, after attending an event on Monday afternoon. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Prosecutors summoned Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung on Jan. 27 to answer questions about development projects that were approved when he was mayor of Seongnam, including Daejang-dong and Wirye.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office told Lee to appear for questioning on alleged breach of trust and violations of the Corruption Prevention Act, according to legal sources.

The prosecution is investigating allegations that the city government of Seongnam, Gyeonggi, just south of Seoul, granted favors to private businesses in the Daejang-dong development scandal.

Lee’s closest aides, including Jeong Jin-sang, his vice chief of staff when he was mayor of Seongnam, granted favors and received 42.8 billion won ($34.6 million) in bribes.

The Daejang-dong development scandal centers on allegations that Hwacheon Daeyu, a small asset management company, and related individuals pocketed outrageous profits from the project, which was approved by Lee when he was mayor of Seongnam from 2010 to 2018.

Lee is also accused of being involved in a leak of inside information related to the Wirye urban development project to get a private asset management firm selected as a partner in the project through his close aides, including Jeong, in 2013.

Lee didn't comment on the prosecutors' summons Monday. A spokesperson for the DP said Lee "has not been notified to appear for questioning yet.”

Lee was questioned for 12 hours by prosecutors last Tuesday about suspicious corporate donations, including by Doosan Engineering & Construction and Naver, to Seongnam’s football club Seongnam FC during his term as the city’s mayor. He was questioned as a suspect for the first time and denied all allegations against him.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]