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| In left photo, members of conservative civic groups hold banners at Suwon District Court, Monday, calling for strict punishment of Rep. Lee Seok-ki of the Unified Progressive Party (UPP) who is on trial for fomenting armed insurrection. At the same time, in right photo, members of the UPP stage a protest and collect signatures for a petition demanding his release. / Yonhap |
By Nam Hyun-woo
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| Rep. Lee Seok-ki |
In his 43rd trial in Suwon District Court, prosecutors planned to question Lee. However, before questions began, Lee said, "I refuse to give any answer since the whole case was fabricated by the National Intelligence Service."
He said his refusal is also a show of protest against the prosecution, which sought detention warrants on a number of UPP members at Lee's office when prosecutors raided there, saying it was clearly "political retaliation" against him.
The prosecution on Jan. 23 requested detention warrants on five UPP members for obstructing prosecutors' investigation of Lee's home and office in the National Assembly on Aug. 28.
During the trial, the prosecutors asked some 200 questions, focused on whether Lee was involved with a pro-North Korea group called the "Revolutionary Organization" and whether he possessed items lauding North Korea, but he remained silent.
The prosecutors asked, "Has the defendant ever engaged in an activity to organize a group to overthrow the government and the United States in order to establish a socialist country?" or "Is it a fact that the defendant sang pro-North Korea revolutionary songs?" However, Lee refused to answer.
The prosecutors said, "The request of detention warrants for the UPP members is not directly related with this trial, and it was made after plenty of reviews. It is inappropriate for Lee to refuse to answer citing such a reason."
Lee was indicted for plotting to overthrow the government in the event of an inter-Korean war in September, and several other party members are currently standing trial on similar charges. The ruling Saenuri Party is seeking to unseat the lawmaker and the government has filed a petition with the Constitutional Court to dissolve the minor party.
Before the trial, some 40 members of the UPP called for Lee's "release" while 100 conservative civic group members called for his execution and the dissolution of the party.
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