Prosecutors to question DP chief Lee 'soon' about scandal

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung during a party meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul in on March 22. [NEWS1]

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung will be summoned soon to be questioned about his involvement in the Baekhyeon-dong real estate development scandal, one of several tied to Seongnam, a city that Lee had led as its mayor for eight years previously.

“We will soon consider relevant procedures to question Lee, who was mayor of Seongnam at the time,” an official from Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office told the press in Seoul Thursday.

Lee has been investigated by the prosecution for his alleged involvement in several real estate scandals from last year, all tied to his time as mayor of Seongnam from 2010 to 2018 and governor of Gyeonggi through 2021.

According to prosecutors, Lee played a key part in allowing private property developers to pocket 789 billion won ($607 million) in illegal proceeds for a real estate project in Daejang-dong, an area in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, and another 21.1 billion won for a development project in Wirye, also an area in Seongnam.

He was indicted in March on several charges including breach of duty, conflict of interest, corruption, bribery and concealment of criminal proceeds for his involvement in the two scandals.

Prosecutors have investigated further allegations of his involvement in a similar development scandal in Seongnam's Baekhyeon-dong neighborhood.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]