Lee Jae-myung receives summons in Seongnam FC investigation

Prosecutors have summoned Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung for questioning over suspicions that he received bribes via Seongnam's football club while he served as the city's mayor, according to party officials on Thursday.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech at a traditional market in Andong, North Gyeongsang on Thursday, a day after prosecutors issued him a summons for questioning over bribery allegations involving Seongnam's football club. [YONHAP]

Prosecutors have summoned Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung for questioning over suspicions that he received bribes via Seongnam's football club while he served as the city's mayor, according to party officials on Thursday.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office is investigating allegations that the city government of Seongnam, Gyeonggi, just south of Seoul, granted favorable business treatment to six entities, including Doosan Engineering & Construction Co. and Naver, in return for 16 billion won ($11.2 million) transferred to the Seongnam FC in the mid-2010s.

Prosecutors allege that the football club was the conduit by which money was delivered to Lee, who served as mayor of Seongnam from 2010 to 2018.

According to the DP and prosecution officials, Lee was designated as a suspect and received summons by telephone on Wednesday from the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which is leading the investigation into Seongam FC.

Lee has been asked to come to the prosecutors' office on Dec. 28, officials said.

The DP leader, who is on a two-day trip to North Gyeongsang and Gangwon provinces, blasted the summons from prosecutors and denied the allegations against him during a speech at a traditional market in Andong, North Gyeongsang.

"I have been harassed for years on end by prosecutors and police since I entered politics and civic movements, but I have kept my head high," Lee said.

Lee, whose political allies and acquaintances have been arrested in connection with a corruption scandal surrounding the Daejang-dong development in Seongnam, said that the latest probe into Seongnam FC was an effort by prosecutors "to uncover something after failing to find even dust" from their investigation into the real estate project.

Lee also denounced President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration for allegedly masterminding the probe.

"This administration trying to destroy the opposition party and eliminate its political opponents," Lee said, calling Yoon's government a "most unfair and shameless administration."

Prosecution officials who spoke to the JoongAng Ilbo said they may charge Lee with accepting bribes via a third party.

According to the prosecution, Lee is suspected of re-zoning a 9,900-square-meter plot of land in the Bundang District owned by Doosan from in return for payments totaling 5 billion won between 2016 and 2018 to Seongnam FC. The company listed the payments as advertising expenses.

Although the area's registered purpose was for a hospital, the zoning change paved the way for Doosan to build a commercial development.

Lee's aides have denied the allegations, claiming the zoning change was not tied to Doosan's donations to Seongnam FC.

The DP also lambasted the summoning of Lee and accused the Yoon administration and the state prosecution service of repression against its opponents through politically motivated investigations.

Yoon, who served as prosecutor general under the Moon Jae-in administration before resigning and running for the presidency, has been accused by critics of concentrating power in the hands of former prosecutors, such as current Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon.

DP floor leader Park Hong-geun characterized the summons of Lee, the party's candidate in the most recent presidential election, as a sign the Yoon administration is fixed on eliminating its political foes.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]