DISPUTE SURROUNDING LEE JAE-MYUNG

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Turning to politics now. Both the ruling and opposition parties are holding primaries to pick their presidential candidates. The main opposition People Power Party is now calling for launching an independent prosecutor team and a parliamentary investigation into a suspicious development project in Daejang-dong, Seongnam City where the ruling party’s presidential frontrunner Lee Jae-myung served as mayor. Lee played down the accusations as an ugly political attack. But ahead of the upcoming primary elections in the Jeolla provinces, he is also facing an offensive from Lee Nak-yon, a major rival in the party presidential race.

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​The People Power Party has set its sight on a 2015 development project in Daejang-dong in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi-do Province. The main opposition party made an official request to launch an investigation by a special prosecutor and the National Assembly into the allegations. It also pledged to file a complaint against Lee Jae-myung on charges of the dereliction of duty.

[Soundbite] Kim Gi-hyeon(PPP Floor Leader) : "Lee Jae-myung said he had received nothing from the developer and would fully comply with an investigation. There are no reasons for the Democratic Party to reject the proposals to launch a special prosecutor team and a parliamentary probe."

It also pressured the ruling party to summon some ten people to a parliamentary inquiry for their alleged involvement in the scandal. They include civilian investors who received dividends totaling 400 billion won as well as an official of Seongnam City’s municipal development corporation who was involved in reviewing the project proposal. PPP presidential hopefuls backed its call for tracking their bank accounts and launching investigations quickly.

[Soundbite] Yoon Seok-youl(PPP Presidential Candidate) : "If authorities fail to get to the bottom of the allegations, just because it is about a ruling party presidential contender, the people will surely deliver an appropriate judgment."

The Gyeonggi governor is also facing internal criticism from the ruling party, with primary elections in the Jeolla provinces approaching. Although he opposed the opposition camp’s proposal to introduce an independent counsel and a parliamentary probe, Lee Nak-yon said that the allegations could become a burden for the party.

[Soundbite] Lee Nak-yon(DP Presidential Candidate) : "It cannot be called a public-initiated development project when civilian investors make such a huge profit."

In the face of criticism both inside and outside of his party, Lee Jae-myung refuted that the tremendous gains civilian investors earned were due to unexpected surges in property prices. He also denied his responsibility, saying that the Seongnam city government could have not retrieved the 500 billion won without him.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Presidential Candidate) : "In the past, they criticized me for banning private sector-led development projects and letting the public sector take away the gains. Recently, they have completely changed their stances and denounced me for seizing less."

Regarding the PPP’s demand for having a special prosecutor and parliament look into the allegations, the Gyeonggi governor called it an ugly political attack. The ruling party also defined it as a scheme to cover up the allegations that Yoon Seok-youl incited the opposition camp to file criminal complaints against pro-government figures when serving as Prosecutor General.