DP CHAIR TO KEEP PARTY LEADERSHIP

[Anchor Lead]

In response to the prosecution's indictment, Lee Jae-myung stated that he will reveal the truth at court. The Democratic Party's executive committee decided not to apply Article 80 of the party constitution to Lee, which suspends the duties of an indicted member, which led to criticisms as it undermines the party's reform measures aimed at improving transparency.

[Pkg]

After hearing the news of his impending indictment, Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung spoke at the end of yesterday's leadership meeting. He said the indictment had already been decided from the start and it didn't come as a surprise. He further labeled the Daejang-dong land development scandal 'prosecution gate.‘

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Chair, Democratic Party) : "Those who profited from the Daejang-dong project were all former prosecutors. Although it was predetermined indictment, I will do my best to reveal the truth."

DP Floor Leader Park Hong-keun then called an emergency meeting of DP leadership to vote on the convening of a meeting of party executives. The party executive committee decided not to apply Article 80 of the party constitution to Lee. Article 80 stipulates that a member's duties are suspended simultaneously with an indictment. The committee recognized that the indictment constituted political oppression and, therefore, was unjustified. Out of 80 committee members, 30 at the meeting and 39 in writing voted not to suspend Lee. It was dubbed a "unanimous decision." Article 80 was also found exempt for Ki Dong-min and Lee Su-jin who were indicted without detainment for allegedly violating the Political Fund Act.

[Soundbite] Kim Eui-kyeom(DP Spokesperson) : "We thought it was more important to consider whether the prosecution had the intention of political oppression."

The DP claimed that convening a party executives' meeting on the very day of indictment was the original purpose of making exception clauses. But criticism was aimed at how fast they arrived at the conclusion. Party members opposing Lee said that the discussion was just a formality and the decision was forced down their throats. They also said that the reform plan adopted to ensure integrity while Moon Jae-in was party leader was invalidated. Another member who is not supportive of Lee asked how anyone could speak up freely when the members who couldn't attend the meeting were asked to submit their votes in writing. Some members decided to file for injunction on the suspension of party leader's duties. A plan to fill a part of the leadership with DP members who are not on Lee Jae-myung's side is under review but the controversy surrounding Lee's position and duties as party chief is likely to rage on for some time.