Lee Jae-myung "My brother was in an abnormal state... There was no other choice" Apologizes Again

"Mother, afraid after receiving unfilial threats from child"

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced senior citizen policy pledges after attending the event "A Happy Retirement Korea, Listening to the Voices of the Elderly" held at the Dongjak Senior Citizens' Center in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, repeatedly apologized regarding the recently released 'recording of his abusive language,' saying it was "an incident that occurred under unbearable circumstances as an individual."

On the afternoon of the 19th, after attending a 'Conversation with the Elderly' event held at a senior center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Lee met with reporters and said, "Please understand that that person (my older brother) was not in a normal state."

He added, "Such an incident will never happen again. The mother, who was the victim, is no longer with us, and that person, who committed violence and filial impiety beyond human endurance due to an abnormal mental illness, has also left."

Lee said, "(My mother) could not even enter her own home because of her children, wandering from house to house, and even endured threats of filial impiety that an ordinary woman could never hear from her own child. She was afraid," adding, "She was even assaulted and reported her child to the police. I ask the reporters to understand a little about the difficulties and pain of the family who tried to get her treated by requesting diagnostic tests."

He continued, "I was wrong to use abusive language. However, I chased after my older brother and his wife because of my mother," and said, "Treatment was impossible, and since the incidents kept happening, I had no choice. I was lacking."

Attorney Jang Young-ha, author of 'Goodbye Lee Jae-myung,' is holding a press conference on the afternoon of the 18th at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding the profanity file of Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, on the 16th, amid the release of the '7-hour phone call' recording of Kim Geon-hee, wife of Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, lawyer Jang Young-ha, author of 'Goodbye Lee Jae-myung,' held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 18th and released a 160-minute audio file containing Lee's voice to the media.

This appears to be a countermeasure against MBC's release of Kim's '7-hour phone call.' Although the People Power Party did not take the lead, it is reported that the Clean Election Strategy Headquarters under the party's campaign headquarters indirectly supported lawyer Jang's press conference.

The released file includes Lee verbally abusing his older brother, Jae-seon, and sister-in-law, Park In-bok, over the phone, and also mentions Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of planning at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, who is currently on trial as a key defendant in the Daejang-dong development project preferential treatment and lobbying allegations.

Regarding this, Lee said on the 18th, "I deeply apologize once again as a citizen for causing such controversy," but added, "It is a private family matter, and there are circumstances that are difficult to explain."

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