Lee Jae-myung: "The truth is clear... We must abandon the idea of removing political rivals through manipulation to maintain power"

Lee Jae-myung at the Democratic Party caucus: "We must fight together to protect democracy and prevent historical regression"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 20th regarding the prosecution's search and seizure of the Democratic Research Institute, "The truth is clear," adding, "They must abandon the idea of suppressing the opposition, eliminating political rivals, and maintaining power through such manipulation."

At the Democratic Party lawmakers' meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Lee said, "This is the first time in the history of the Republic of Korea that the opposition party's central office has been searched during a national audit," calling it "not politics but outright oppression."

He stated, "Currently, people’s livelihoods are difficult, and the Korean Peninsula faces a peace crisis due to North Korea’s provocations," adding, "In this situation, it is truly regrettable that the power entrusted by the people is being exhausted on the unprecedented search and seizure of the opposition party’s central office as a means of suppressing the opposition."

Lee said, "History is regressing," and "We must fight together to protect democracy and prevent historical regression."

He added, "Lawmakers may not know the details of this case, but if the claim that the money was given as presidential election funds is true, there is an interview with a person named Nam Wook who returned to Korea around last fall on JTBC, where he said, ‘Even though I spent money for 10 years, it didn’t work at all,’ as recorded in a transcript. There is an internal recording where it is said, ‘If we find out about this money exchange among ourselves, especially on the second floor, that is, the Seongnam Mayor’s office, it would be a big problem. Let’s keep it a secret until we die.’ The words change as the regime changes, but the truth is clear,” he said.

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