Prosecution soon to decide on arrest warrant for opposition leader
Lee Jae-myung, center, head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leaves the National Assembly after a plenary session in Seoul, Feb. 13. Yonhap
Prosecutors said Tuesday they will soon decide whether to seek a warrant to detain opposition leader Lee Jae-myung as part of their investigation into a high-profile development corruption scandal.
Lee, the chair of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has been probed for his alleged involvement in the case that centers on allegations that a small private asset management company and its affiliates were able to secure a lucrative development project in Daejang-dong in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, in 2015, and reap hefty profits.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office probing the case said there is no need to resummon Lee, who was already brought in for questioning twice.
Prosecutors allege Lee directly or indirectly approved dubious arrangements between the private partners and his close aides when he served as the mayor of Seongnam. Lee is also suspected of having a hidden financial stake in the project.
Separately, Lee is accused of wrongdoing in bribery allegations involving Seongnam's municipal football club while he served as the Seongnam mayor. The case is being probed by the Suwon District Prosecutors Office.
Lee has denied the allegations, branding the investigation as politically motivated and orchestrated by the Yoon Suk Yeol government to remove a "political enemy." In the 2022 presidential election, Lee was the DPK candidate running against Yoon. (Yonhap)