DP leader Lee Jae-myung to appear before prosecutors for questioning on Saturday

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is picturing during his "indefinite" hunger strike in front of the National Assembly building on Thursday. [YONHAP]

Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung has responded to the prosecutors' office summoning him for questioning regarding his alleged involvement in the illegal transfer of $8 million via Ssangbangwool Group to North Korea between 2018 and 2019.

The payment is suspected to have been a payoff to Pyongyang in exchange for securing an invitation for Lee, the Gyeonggi governor at the time.

"Party leader Lee Jae-myung will appear at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on Saturday," DP Rep. Park Sung-joon said Thursday.

The party's spokesperson criticized the prosecutors' office for compelling Lee to give up his attendance at the National Assembly.

"It is an unprecedented forced summoning," Park said. "Especially the date proposed by the prosecutors' office is when legislators should focus on questioning the Yoon Suk Yeol government's ineptitude."

"We express our regret at the prosecutor's unconstitutional behavior that denies the legislative activity of a National Assembly lawmaker stipulated under the constitution," Park added. "The prosecutors' office has repeatedly looked down on the National Assembly."

"When they go low, we will move forward fair and square," Park said.

The prosecution and Lee had clashed over the timing of his questioning on two accounts.

To the first proposed date, Lee said he was too busy that date. On the second proposed date, he said he was only available for a two-hour interrogation due to his schedule.

On Wednesday, when the prosecutors' office notified the DP to show up for inquiry within this week, Lee said he only had time on Sept. 12.

Usually, when a suspect refuses to appear for questioning at least twice in an ongoing investigation, prosecutors can request an arrest warrant, as the refusals may be taken as an attempt to tamper with or destroy evidence.

Before Monday's questioning, Lee unexpectedly announced that he was starting an "indefinite" hunger strike marking his first year as head of the biggest political party on Thursday.

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