LEE PROTESTS PROSECUTOR'S QUESTIONING

[Anchor Lead]

After receiving the summons from the prosecution, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung strongly protested by saying that they’re trying to pick apart his comments because they can’t find anything illegal. Meanwhile, the People Power Party pressured Lee to show up for the prosecutors’ questioning. When asked about the issue, President Yoon Suk-yeol distanced himself from the controversy by simply saying that he didn’t have time to read all the related articles.

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Democratic Party Leader Lee Jae-myung convened the party’s first supreme council since his inauguration in Gwangju. At the meeting, he showed his displeasure at being summoned for the prosecution’s questioning by saying that the prosecutor must have found something to nitpick.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP leader) : "I want to say that it’s inappropriate because they’re picking at my comments because they couldn’t find anything compromising."

Other DP supreme council members also denounced the prosecution for launching a political retaliation and investigating Lee solely to embarrass him.

[Soundbite] Park Hong-keun(DP floor leader) : "I cannot ignore the political prosecution’s investigation that they keep taking jabs at the opposition leader until they get a hit."

The meeting was turned private to discuss how to respond to the prosecution’s investigation. Lee’s associates said in a phone call with KBS that the likelihood of Lee attending the questioning remains at 50:50. When asked about the issue on his way to work, President Yoon Suk-yeol simply answered that the economy and people’s financial situation comes first.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "I read about criminal cases through the news reports just like you. I didn’t have time to read the articles thoroughly."

Apparently, the president wanted to emphasize that his office had not interfered or ordered the prosecution to investigate Lee. Meanwhile, the People Power Party kept pressuring the DP leader to show up for the questioning.

[Soundbite] Kweon Seong-dong(PPP floor leader) : "This is war against crime, against countless allegations launched at Lee, such as the Daejang-dong development and Seongnam FC sponsorship scandals."

The ruling party attacked Lee for using his position as party leader like a bulletproof vest that shields him from criminal allegations and it is the Democratic Party itself that chose to disintegrate.