Ongoing Dispute Over 'Lee Jae-myung's Free Legal Defense' at Myeongnakdaejeon

Ahead of the Chungcheong Region Tour Primary
Lee Nak-yeon Launches Full-Scale Offensive for Last-Minute Comeback

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] As the online voting for the Democratic Party's presidential primary begins, the dispute over 'free legal representation' between Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon is intensifying. Following Governor Lee's remark the previous day, calling Yoon Young-chan, the political affairs chief of Lee Nak-yeon’s camp, "absurd," Yoon also refused to back down, stating, "It would be simple to disclose the attorney fees, so I don't understand the reluctance." Lee’s camp appears to be continuing this relentless offensive ahead of the upcoming Chungcheong regional primary starting on the 4th, putting all efforts into a 'last-minute turnaround.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 1st, Representative Yoon appeared on KBS radio and said, "Since attorney fees must have been paid, it is a very simple matter to disclose how much those fees were." He pointed out, "This issue is linked to questions about the increase in personal assets. If such a large amount of attorney fees were paid, there should be a significant decrease in assets."

On the same day, Representative Seol Hoon from Lee Nak-yeon’s camp emphasized on Facebook, "The media reports that the 'Myung-Nak showdown' is escalating with fierce exchanges between both sides, but one clear fact is that 'free legal representation' did occur, which constitutes a violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act." He warned, "We hope for a sincere explanation compared to public officials' asset declarations. Do not dismiss this question again by saying 'it's absurd' or 'it's a private matter.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.