The 'Daejang-dong Dispute' Continues Even After Lee Jae-myung's National Assembly Audit Ends

Ruling and Opposition Clash Again at Legislation Committee Hearing
Democrats Demand Progress in Prosecution of Alleged Report Solicitation
People Power Party Requests Submission of Daejang-dong Documents

Kim Ki-hyun: "Candidate Lee Reversed Statements
Plan to Report to Prosecution for Perjury"

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, is responding to questions during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on October 20, 2021. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, has completed two rounds of the National Assembly audits in his capacity as Governor of Gyeonggi Province. However, the ruling and opposition parties clashed strongly over the Daejang-dong development preferential treatment allegations even in the audit sessions where Lee was absent.

Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated at the Supreme Council meeting held on the 21st, "We plan to file a complaint with the prosecution for perjury against candidate Lee." Kim said, "At the audit on the 18th, Lee answered that he did not delete the excess profit recovery clause but rejected the frontline staff's opinion to add it, but at yesterday's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee audit, he effectively reversed his statement," adding, "He shamelessly retorted, asking how not accepting practical opinions could be considered breach of trust." Perjury is a very serious crime punishable by imprisonment from one to ten years under the Act on the Testimony, Inspection, and Appraisal in the National Assembly, but a resolution from the relevant standing committee is required for a complaint to be filed.

The People Power Party also raised issues with the discrepancies in candidate Lee's statements regarding Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation. In particular, they view as a critical mistake Lee's mention that he does not recall the appointment process of former Director Yoo but heard that Yoo took medicine to attempt suicide during the search and seizure. Won Hee-ryong, former Governor of Jeju Province who calls himself the 'top instructor on Daejang-dong,' declared that he would reveal the 'fake ability and fake fairness' of candidate Lee by the end of this month, linking Daejang-dong with Seongnam City and Gyeonggi Province administration.

The Democratic Party appears to judge that candidate Lee has successfully completed the audit and is likely to focus on the so-called 'complaint solicitation' allegations. With some recordings partially disclosed, they plan to target Yoon Seok-youl, the leading presidential candidate of the People Power Party and former Prosecutor General. On the same day, Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil appeared on KBS Radio and said, "Judging from the reports, the suspicion that Prosecutor Son Jun-sung was commissioned by former Prosecutor General Yoon is almost revealed as the truth," adding, "There is evidence that two prosecutors conspired with Kim Woong, then a People Power Party National Assembly candidate, which is a disruption of the national order, interference in the general election, and grounds for impeachment even if he becomes president." At the Legislative and Judiciary Committee audit on the same day, the Democratic Party demanded progress in the investigation of the complaint solicitation, while the People Power Party requested the submission of materials related to the Daejang-dong development.

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