‘Going to prison in case of election loss’ is not about me,’ says Lee

The presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea Lee Jae-myung said it was not about him when he said he would be sent to prison in case of election loss. The People Power Party criticized Lee for changing his words.

Regarding the ‘prison’ statement during an interview with YTN on Monday, which has become controversial, Lee said it was his way of expressing concerns about the reopening of the Republic of Prosecution if Yoon Suk-youl, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, wins. He added that it was not about himself. He meant he was worried about the prosecution gaining power, including Yoon, rather than about his personal matters. “Yoon said I definitely look like a criminal when he saw me,” said Lee. “It is absurd to determine a person to be a criminal without judging based on evidence, commonsense, and legal principles.”

“The fear over the Republic of Prosecution is not the sound of a passing wind. It is right before us,” said Lee in a speech during a campaign event in Songpa on Saturday. “If I lose the election, I might go to jail for fabricated crimes.”

“Lee’s ‘prison’ statement on Saturday was clearly an appeal to voters for the reason that he might be sent to jail in case of an election loss,” said Ham In-kyung, the spokesperson of the People Power Party’s election committee, on Lee’s explanation on Tuesday. “People will not be fooled anymore,” she added. “Lee has been involved in the Daejang-dong scandal and there are countless allegations against him, such as his involvement with gangsters and paying commission for a lawyer,” said Kim Jae-won, a high-ranking member of the People Power Party, in an interview with MBC Radio on Tuesday. “I believe it is Lee’s reasonable fear based on experience after receiving multiple criminal punishments.”


Sung-Hwi Kang yolo@donga.com · Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com