Lee Jae-myung Expresses Dissatisfaction at Court Appearance: "Intent to Tie My Hands and Feet"

Lee to Attend Daejang-dong Trial on 26th Morning
Appears on YouTube: "Prosecutors Shouldn't Do This"
Greets 'Daejang-dong Lawyer' on Way to Work

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed frustration on a pro-Democratic Party YouTube broadcast about not being able to postpone the Daejang-dong trial schedule until after the general election. Immediately after the broadcast, he joined candidate Kim Dong-a (Seoul Seodaemun-gu Gap), known as the 'Daejang-dong lawyer,' in greeting commuters on their way to work.

On the morning of the 26th, Lee appeared on ‘Kim Eo-jun’s Humility is Difficult News Factory’ and mentioned the trial schedule during the election period, claiming, “It is an intention to tie my hands and feet.” When the host asked if the trial schedule, being a public matter, could not be adjusted, he stated, "The trial can proceed without me, and the trial is not delayed because I am absent." He continued, "Sometimes trials are postponed due to circumstances, but the prosecution absolutely refuses this," adding, "The cross-examination of former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu can proceed even if I am absent, but the court says I must be present," he said.

Lee criticized the prosecution as a "political prosecution state" while also appealing for support for the Democratic Party. He said, "The prosecution, as a state institution, should not act like this," and emphasized, "Even if they tie Lee Jae-myung’s hands and feet and prevent him from moving, the people and supporters will play an even greater role." Regarding the election outcome, he said, "Each individual may have different judgments, but when looking at the conclusion, there is one conclusion," adding, "Without consulting each other, collective intelligence reaches the same conclusion." He added, "The people are a single collective intelligence entity, and I believe in that."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Immediately after the broadcast, he helped candidate Kim Dong-a greet commuters inside Ahyeon Station on Line 2 in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. He mentioned, "Because I insisted on attending a trial that I did not necessarily have to attend, I had some free time and came to support candidate Kim Dong-a." Kim is known as the 'Daejang-dong lawyer' for having previously defended Jeong Jin-sang, former chief political coordinator of the Democratic Party representative office, in the Daejang-dong case.

Assemblyman Woo Sang-ho, who was present, said, "(Not postponing the trial) is clearly an act of election interference." He added, "It is unfair for the leader of a political party to attend a trial in the midst of this," and "If there is a public schedule, the trial should be postponed." He further voiced opposition toward the court, saying, "Proceeding with the trial is an act of interfering with the Democratic Party’s election."

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