LEE MAY APPEAR FOR QUESTIONING IN JAN.

[Anchor Lead]

The Seongnam District Prosecutors' Office currently investigating allegations surrounding DP representative Lee Jae-myung's Seongnam FC scandal said, they notified him to appear for questioning between January 10th and 12th. Lee is expected to work out a date as he has already said he has no qualms in being investigated. The PPP said his attendance shouldn't be a warm-up for his bulletproof status.

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The prosecution had notified Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung that he was expected at the Prosecutors' office yesterday as part of a probe into his role in the Seongnam FC illegal donations case. But he instead went to the city of Gwangju. Lee urged the people of Gwangju to fight together against government oppression in a city that's regarded as the holy ground of democracy in South Korea and the main support base for the Democratic Party.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Chair, Democratic Party) : "Their incompetence and irresponsibility cannot be masked even if they kill me. And it won't end with my death. Another Lee Jae-myung will take my place and lead you forward."

He has already been notified by the prosecution to appear for questioning between January 10th and 12th. Lee is expected to work out a date as he has already said he has no qualms in being investigated.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Chair, Democratic Party) : "(You are arranging schedule to appear between 10th and 12th, correct?) I said I would appear. That's all you should know."

The People Power Party, which had been pressuring Lee to appear before the prosecution, called it "the right decision". Nonetheless, the ruling party had doubts about Lee's intentions since he had decided to appear right after an arrest motion for DP representative Noh Woong-rae was voted down.

[Soundbite] Park Jeong-ha(Senior Spokesperson, PPP) : "I hope that his appearance before the prosecution is not a warm-up for his bulletproof status but a confession of repentance."

The December extraordinary session of the National Assembly will end on January 9th. Lee's revelation that he's considering appearing for questioning right after the session is over appears to suggest that he's going to deal head on with the suggestion that he is "bulletproof" against any sort of accusation.