Prosecutors Question Lee Jae-myung for 12 Hours: Lee Claims, “The Answer Was Predetermined. Prosecution Is Obvious”

Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung appears at the Seongnam Branch of the Prosecutors’ Office in connection to allegations concerning donations to the Seongnam FC on January 10. Joint press photographers

Prosecutors finished questioning Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, after twelve hours on January 10.

Tuesday, Lee appeared at the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office at 10:45 a.m. and was questioned for nearly twelve hours until 10:42 p.m.

Lee submitted a ten-page written statement, which he had prepared beforehand, and answered the prosecutor’s questions at a minimum during the interrogation. The actual questioning ended around 7 p.m. Tuesday, and the hours after that were spent reviewing documents.

As Lee left the Prosecutors’ Office after the questioning, he greeted and shook the hands of every party member who had been waiting. Conservative group members who were watching shouted, “Arrest Lee Jae-myung,” and Lee’s supporters fought back by shouting, “Lee Jae-myung is innocent.”

Lee said, “I faithfully explained what needed to be explained (to the prosecutors),” and announced, “The conclusion was already determined, so I think it is obvious that they will prosecute me. I strongly felt that during the questioning as well. When we reviewed the investigation records, there was nothing that I found convincing.”

The prosecutors are charging Lee of demanding bribes for a third party according to the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Lee was the owner of the Seongnam Football Club when he served as the mayor of Seongnam in 2015-2017. Prosecutors believe that Lee forced businesses to sponsor the Seongnam FC (the third party) in exchange for illegal requests from businesses.

Six corporations in Seongnam including Doosan Engineering & Construction, Naver, and Cha Medical Center have been mentioned as alleged sponsors of Seongnam FC. Prosecutors suspect Lee of receiving over 16 billion won in donations and advertisement fees from these corporations in exchange for various benefits, such as construction permits and changes of land use.

The written statement Lee handed the prosecutors is believed to state Lee’s legal argument against the charge of bribes for a third party.

On Tuesday morning, when Lee stood before the press photo line in front of the Prosecution Service’s Seongnam office, he said, “Right now, we are standing at the scene of an unprecedented event in the history of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea,” and added, “This event today will be recorded in history.” He further said, “The subpoena for the interrogation is a trap set up by a political Prosecution Service. I will proudly stand up to it.” He also said, “I hope this moment goes down as a turning point in history proving the obvious truth that history moves forward, overcoming an unjust government’s attempt to drive backwards.”