Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung leaves the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, Saturday, after being questioned for his alleged involvement in a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Yonhap

DPK's Lee accuses prosecution of manipulating evidence for indictment

By Nam Hyun-woo

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung is likely to face mounting calls to resign from inside the party if he is indicted for his alleged involvement in two bribery scandals.

Lee was questioned by prosecutors for longer than 12 hours on Saturday, over allegations that he was involved in a massive land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, when he was the mayor of the city. It was his second appearance at the prosecution in less than 20 days. On Jan. 10, Lee was also questioned over an allegation that he was involved in a bribery scandal related to Seongnam FC, a football club run by the city.

The Seongnam land development scandal was the most controversial subject during last year's presidential election. President Yoon Suk Yeol and his People Power Party claimed that Lee was the "mastermind" of the case, which enabled an unknown private asset management firm to rake in astronomical investment profits from the development project.

Pundits say chances are high for Lee to be indicted for those allegations in the near future. Even Lee himself thinks that he could be indicted, saying that the prosecutors will "indict him anyway" ― despite the prosecution's unconvincing evidence ― during his first appearance.

Amid concerns over a possible Lee indictment, DPK members who are not loyal to Lee have insisted that the chairman step down from his post to prevent adverse impacts on next year's general election.

"The party's charter requires office holders of the party to resign from their posts if they are being indicted," DPK Rep. Lee Sang-min said in a radio interview with KBS on Jan. 25. "To be honest, I hope Lee abides by the principle."

The first clause of article 80 of DPK's charter states that the party's secretary general can suspend an office holder, including the party chairman if he or she is indicted for corruption charges.

However, the third clause of the same article also notes that DPK's party affairs committee can make different decisions in case there are "unfair reasons such as political persecution."

The clauses were revised to the current status before the party to elected Chairman Lee as its chairman last year. Given Lee has been suffering from those allegations for years, the revision has been attracting controversies that it is designed to protect Lee.

Since the party has been describing investigations on Lee are "political persecution by the Yoon administration," it is likely that the party will apply the third clause to exempt Lee. The party's secretary general is Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, who is regarded as a pro-Lee faction member.

Supporters of Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung hold blue balloons as they stage a rally denouncing the prosecution's investigation on Lee at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, Saturday. Across the street, conservatives are staging a rally to criticize Lee. Yonhap

"From the public perspective, however, the clauses may be seen as a protection tool Lee's chairmanship," Rep. Lee said. "If Chairman Lee retains his chairmanship based on the clauses, the public sentiment would not be very good."

According to a survey by Embrain Public on Jan. 22 and 23, 63.8 percent of 2,002 respondents said Chairman Lee should resign from his post in case of an indictment. Among 616 respondents who said they are DPK supporters, however, 60.7 percent said Lee should retain his chairmanship despite the indictment. The survey was requested by broadcaster YTN and further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website.

Meanwhile, Lee strongly denied Saturday, all allegations and claimed his innocence, while accusing the prosecution of fabricating charges against him and abusing its power for a politically motivated probe.

"There was a strong impression that the prosecution, which serves for the dictatorship of prosecutor Yoon Suk Yeol, was engaging in a political activity, not an investigation," Lee said while leaving the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. He was referring to President Yoon, who was prosecutor general from 2019 to 2021.

"I strongly felt that the prosecution is manipulating the case for indictment, not investigating the case to find the truth. To have me appear at the prosecution again, the prosecutors reiterated the same questions and requested the same documentations again. This is very inappropriate behavior, privatizing the national authority."