DP chair makes third appearance before prosecutors

Politics

Published: 10 Feb. 2023, 12:41 Updated: 10 Feb. 2023, 17:03

DP chair makes third appearance before prosecutors

Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung stands in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Friday. This is his third appearance at the prosecutor's office for questioning this year. [YONHAP]

Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung made his third appearance before prosecutors on Friday.

The leader of Korea's parliamentary majority party faces numerous allegations, including accusations of quid pro quos, political slush funds and illegal money transfers to North Korea.

Lee turned up at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office alone, unaccompanied by a protective phalanx of Democratic Party lawmakers like his first two appearances.

He stressed that everything he had to say was in a 33-page written statement he gave prosecutors.

“I have told the truth through my statement,” Lee said before walking into the prosecutors’ office.

The DP chair also hinted that he would not answer questions posed by prosecutors, adopting the strategy he took during his first round of questioning, when he largely remained silent and directed prosecutors to a written statement.

“Prosecutors will use all my testimony as material to fabricate and create stuff,” Lee said.

The DP chair said the very fact that he was publicly summoned to the prosecutors’ office for all the country to see was an insult.

“Honestly, I feel wrongly accused, tired and distressed,” he said. “Having to stand at the photo line with camera flashes bursting is a shame.”

Lee said but he has no choice but to bear it as he lost the presidential election.

“While the winner kicks me, I have no choice but to endure it as the one who lost,” he said.

However, he again stressed that prosecutors under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration fabricated all the allegations against him.

“The heavens know and the people are watching,” Lee said.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]