Opposition leader blasts prosecution over new indictment against him
Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung, right, talks with DPK supreme council member Rep. Jung Chung-rae during supreme council meeting at the national assembly in Seoul, June 12. Yonhap
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung blasted the prosecution Wednesday after he was indicted on charges of involvement in an unauthorized transfer of $8 million to North Korea, saying the allegations are "nonsense."
"The prosecution's creativity level is getting worse and worse," Lee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea told reporters after the indictment was announced. "The people can easily learn what nonsense this case is if they look into it even a little bit."
Lee is accused of asking underwear maker Ssangbangwool Group to illegally transfer $8 million to North Korea between 2019 and 2020, when he was serving as governor of Gyeonggi Province, through then Vice Gov. Lee Hwa-young to facilitate his planned visit to Pyongyang, according to the Suwon District Prosecutors Office.
In return, Lee allegedly promised the Gyeonggi provincial government's support and guarantee for Ssangbangwool's business in North Korea.
The prosecution office charged him with third-party bribery and violating the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act.
"If they have the strength to do something like this, I hope they will look after people's difficult livelihoods and take care of national security and the economy," Lee said.
The latest indictment increases to four the number of court trials Lee faces, including those over alleged development project-related bribery, election law violations and perjury. (Yonhap)