Jaeo Lee Responds to Speculation Over Dinner With Pro-Lee Jaemyung Lawmakers: "Just a University Gathering, No Political Discussion"

Entered Politics with Kim Moonsoo and Jaeo Lee
Currently Serving as Senior Advisor to the People Power Party

On May 15, several lawmakers from the pro-Lee Jaemyung (pro-Lee Jae-myung) faction of the Democratic Party of Korea attended a dinner with Jaeo Lee, Chairman of the Democracy Movement Memorial Foundation and a former leading figure in the pro-Lee Myung-bak faction. Some have raised the possibility that this meeting was arranged to request Jaeo Lee to join Lee Jaemyung's campaign committee. On May 15, the Dong-A Ilbo reported that Democratic Party lawmakers Moon Jinseok and Lee Yeonhee, both considered part of the pro-Lee Jaemyung faction, along with former lawmaker Noh Woongrae, met Jaeo Lee?often referred to as the "leader of the MB faction"?for a dinner on Teachers' Day, and requested that he join the Democratic Party's campaign committee.

Jaeo Lee, Chairman of the Democracy Movement Memorial Foundation. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Jaeo Lee explained that Moon Jinseok and Lee Yeonhee are his juniors from Chung-Ang University, while he has a teacher-student relationship with former lawmaker Noh Woongrae. Observers suggest that the reason pro-Lee Jaemyung lawmakers met with Jaeo Lee, who currently serves as a senior advisor to the People Power Party, is an extension of Democratic Party candidate Lee Jaemyung's recent outreach to conservative figures.

In a phone interview with Yonhap News, Jaeo Lee stated, "It was simply a gathering among teacher and student, and university seniors and juniors; it was not a place for political discussion." He added, "Former lawmaker Noh Woongrae, my former student, visits me every year, and this time, he brought along Moon Jinseok and Lee Yeonhee, who are juniors from Chung-Ang University." He further emphasized, "Even though I have a special relationship with People Power Party candidate Kim Moonsoo, I cannot support him because I am a public official. It makes no sense for me to support a candidate from another party. That will never happen." Regarding this, lawmaker Lee Yeonhee also confirmed that Jaeo Lee gave the same response, adding, "We discussed the political situation and the state of the conservative camp, and I expressed that it would be good to work together. The intention was to pursue politics together in a broad sense."

Lee Lee is a five-term lawmaker who previously belonged to the Grand National Party and Saenuri Party, the predecessors of the People Power Party. During the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as a special minister and played a leading role in the pro-Lee faction. He participated in the democratization movement from the 1960s to the 1980s, enduring multiple imprisonments, and entered politics in 1994 alongside candidate Kim Moonsoo. Photo by Yoon Dongju

Meanwhile, Jaeo Lee is a five-term lawmaker who previously belonged to the Grand National Party and Saenuri Party, the predecessors of the People Power Party. During the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as a special minister and played a leading role in the pro-Lee faction. He participated in the democratization movement from the 1960s to the 1980s, enduring multiple imprisonments, and entered politics in 1994 alongside candidate Kim Moonsoo.

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