Lee Jae-myung's camp on 'targeted investigation' suspicion: "Then Central District Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol... must uncover higher-ups directing the investigation"

"Intention to Prosecute Lee Jae-myung After Securing Testimony by Threatening Representative Lee Mo"

Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The campaign team of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential primary candidate and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, urged the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to "immediately conduct an inspection" regarding reports of a 'targeted investigation' by the prosecution.

Park Chan-dae, the chief spokesperson for Lee's campaign, released a statement on the 8th saying, "We are appalled by reports that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office conducted an investigation into Governor Lee Jae-myung (then Mayor of Seongnam) while carrying out a three-month-long extortion investigation of a businessman in Seongnam just before the 2018 local elections."

Park emphasized, "At that time, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office was Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential primary candidate. It must be clearly revealed which high-ranking prosecutor ordered the targeted investigation against Governor Lee."

He continued, "The prosecutors not only conducted separate investigations and excessive investigations but also carried out retaliatory investigations, extortion investigations, and retaliatory prosecutions. They even conducted a thorough investigation on the spouse of businessman Lee, who was in charge of company PR, and his mother who ran a restaurant near the company. Lee was even told by a prosecutor, 'If your mom and dad are both arrested, who will take care of the children?'"

Park claimed, "The prosecution's intention is obvious. After securing Lee's testimony, they obtained testimony from Lee's fellow inmate A and some circumstantial evidence to indict Governor Lee, which could create crimes that did not exist."

He added, "According to the prosecutor office's seating chart at the time, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office was Yoon Seok-yeol, the deputy chief prosecutor was Han Dong-hoon, the head of the violent crimes division was Park Jae-eok, and the lead prosecutor was Kang Seong-hoon. It must be clearly revealed who planned and who ordered this. Charges of coercion and abuse of authority may apply," raising his voice.

Handonghun, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, on the 7th, KBS reported allegations of a 'targeted investigation,' stating that the Violent Crimes Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office pressured businessman Lee, a former member of the International Mafia faction accused of operating an illegal online gambling site in 2017, to expose misconduct by then Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung. When Lee refused, retaliatory investigations were conducted against his family.

In response, Han Dong-hoon, then the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and head of the Violent Crimes Division, issued a statement on the 8th denying the allegations, saying, "Claims of a targeted investigation are completely untrue."

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