DP's Lee Jae-myung agrees to another round of questioning

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung responds to reporters' questions at Mangwon Market in Mapo District, western Seoul on Wednesday afternoon. [YONHAP]

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said Wednesday afternoon that he would obey a summons for questioning over corruption allegations in two real estate developments in Seongnam, Gyeonggi that began during his term as the city's mayor.

The Wirye New Town development and the Daejang-dong development, which began in 2013 and 2015, are the subject of separate probes by prosecutors, who are investigating allegations of preferential investor treatment and skewed profit distribution in both projects.

Lee told reporters after visiting Mangwon Market in Mapo District, western Seoul on Wednesday that he would appear for questioning by prosecutors on Jan. 28.

“I’ve done nothing wrong, but if [prosecutors] want me to come again, I’ll go,” the DP leader said.

But he added that he would not be able to appear before investigators on Jan. 27 as originally demanded by the prosecution, due to previously scheduled events, and that he would appear for questioning the following day instead.

Lee also issued a warning to prosecutors.

“The eyes of the public are on these politically motivated prosecutors, who are abusing their prosecutorial rights for personal gain and inventing crimes that were never committed,” he said. “History will judge them.”

Prosecutors summoned the DP leader on Monday to appear for questioning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office as a suspect in the Wirye New Town and Daejang-dong developments probes.

On Jan. 10, Lee was questioned for 12 hours at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in another case investigating alleged illicit donations by six companies to Seongnam’s football club during his term as the city’s mayor.

Lee claimed the donations were legitimate sponsorships that benefited Seongnam citizens by attracting investment to the city and saving its taxpayers from having to underwrite the troubled football club.

But prosecutors in that case suspect that the donations were bribes for preferential business treatment, and that some of the money went to Lee himself.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]