PPP Accuses Lee Jae-myung of Blocking Daejang-dong Appeal

Condemnation Rally at National Assembly Over Daejang-dong Case

The People Power Party organized a condemnation rally at the National Assembly on the 12th, where they accused President Lee Jae-myung of being the “mastermind” behind the abandonment of the appeal in the Daejang-dong case. The event marked an escalation in tensions between the opposition and the ruling party.

Song Eon-seog, the floor leader of the People Power Party, addressed the rally with strong words, stating, “Urgent Rally to Demand Recovery of State Funds from the Daejang-dong Gang and Condemn External Pressure to Abandon Prosecution’s Appeal.” He criticized Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho for his remarks, suggesting that his statement, “Judge carefully,” constituted external pressure to abandon the appeal. Song further claimed that the Lee Jae-myung administration was a “criminal regime” in the context of the Daejang-dong case.

Song continued by highlighting the actions of Deputy Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo, who reportedly told Acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok that if the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office ignored the Justice Ministry’s orders and proceeded with the appeal, the prosecution command authority could be exercised. This, according to Song, is akin to mob-like external pressure to abandon the appeal.

He emphasized the scale of the corruption involved, stating, “Not 7.8 billion won, but 78 billion won—the largest real estate development corruption profits in history—went into the pockets of the Daejang-dong criminal group, not the people.” Song questioned whether the public could tolerate a regime that undermined the dreams of ordinary citizens while enriching the Daejang-dong gang.

Song also pointed out the role of Kim Hyun-ji, who served as secretary-general of Seongnam 21 during Lee’s tenure as mayor of Seongnam. Now heading the presidential office’s attached office, she allegedly controls much of the current administration. He described Kim Hyun-ji, Jeong Jin-sang, and Kim Yong-i as a core trio of power brokers in Seongnam, manipulating personnel and covering up crimes.

He called for a state investigation and a special prosecutor to uncover the truth, stating that the Daejang-dong gang would face “divine punishment.” Song urged unity until justice and conscience prevailed.

Representative Jang Dong-hyeok also voiced criticism of the prosecution’s decision to abandon the appeal, attributing it solely to President Lee Jae-myung. Jang described Lee as a “disaster personified” for South Korea, suggesting that a single word from Kim Man-bae could lead to his downfall. He argued that the acting prosecutor general and the justice minister acted hastily to block the appeal.

Jang explained that, according to prosecution regulations, appeals must be filed for all acquittals. However, he noted that a 780 billion won breach of trust under the Special Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes was downgraded to a 40 billion won breach of trust under the Criminal Act, leading to the abandonment of the appeal.

He added that this abandonment was just the beginning of a move to dismiss the indictment against Lee Jae-myung. Jang revealed that one day before the Daejang-dong ruling, Lee had intimidated the prosecution during a Cabinet meeting, saying, “Do not file appeals recklessly,” as if he knew the verdict in advance.

Jang continued by referencing the suspicious deaths surrounding Lee Jae-myung, suggesting that the abandonment of the appeal was orchestrated by Noh Man-seok, with the support of Jung Sung-ho, for the benefit of Lee Jae-myung.

Regarding the special counsel team investigating insurrection and foreign exchange charges related to the December 3 emergency martial law, Jang criticized the arrest warrant execution against former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. He stated that the current regime was trying to cover up the Daejang-dong appeal abandonment, calling it a form of war. Jang declared, “We are Hwang Kyo-ahn. Let us unite and fight.”