Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash on ‘Daejang-dong’ at Legislation and Judiciary Committee... “Highly Regarded Project” vs “Lee Jae-myung Embezzlement Case”

Allegations of Yoon Seok-yeol's Involvement in Prosecutor General Report Scandal Resurface

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] The ruling party's presidential candidate, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung's 'Daejang-dong scandal' became a battleground between the ruling and opposition parties at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 24th.

Members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from both parties engaged in heated debate over Governor Lee's Daejang-dong scandal during the committee's plenary session held at the National Assembly that day. The opposition party attacked, saying "The Daejang-dong scandal is a breach of trust case," while the ruling party defended it as a "highly praised project."

People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong said in his questioning, "The Hwacheon Daeyu Daejang-dong preferential treatment case is clearly a breach of trust case." He added, "Hana Bank made the largest investment. Five financial institutions including Hana Bank hold 43% of the shares, but the profits were all taken by Cheonhadongin and Hwacheon Daeyu officials who invested only 6%. How can someone with 43% shares earn the least profit, while Cheonhadongin with only 6% shares take all the profits? I've never seen such a contract," he pointed out.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk responded, "If it had been left as private development, the private sector would have taken all the profits, but because it was a public development, Seongnam City secured public interest." He added, "The attempts to have all profits taken as bribes by the private sector happened during the time of the Grand National Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party." Kim emphasized, "The project linked to the land development business is not just a related donation but a park creation project in the old downtown area about 10 km away. Since it combined a project where donation was basically difficult, it is a highly praised project that effectively reclaimed public interest."

Kwon directed at Kim, "I know well that you are Governor Lee's chief of staff, but parliamentary questioning is when lawmakers question the government. Showing loyalty to Governor Lee as his chief of staff regarding the Daejang-dong controversy is fine, but you spoke to me as if scolding during the questioning process," he criticized. Kim replied, "I think such a thing would not have happened if you had not interrupted my questioning without speaking to me."

People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom also criticized, "It can be said that Seongnam Development Corporation practically managed the entire project. The original residents actually received only half of the land compensation they should have gotten if it had been private development. Can you say that public development gave benefits to citizens with this?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties continued after the session resumed at 4 p.m. The ruling party launched a counterattack over the allegations of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's involvement in instigating complaints. Democratic Party lawmaker So Byung-chul said, "The Daejang-dong scandal must be thoroughly investigated. However, the case where former Prosecutor General Yoon and the United Future Party colluded to interfere in the general election is an anti-constitutional national disgrace that denies the foundation of democracy."

The opposition criticized the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (PCA) for conducting a targeted investigation against former Prosecutor General Yoon. People Power Party lawmaker Jeon Ju-hye said, "The investigation into the allegations of Yoon's instigation of complaints was unusually conducted within three days. The PCA has about 1,400 cases it has not investigated. The PCA is not a case handler but a case organizer. Investigations proceed very slowly, but the complaint against former Prosecutor General Yoon was conducted at lightning speed within three days," she pointed out.

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