DPK lawmaker quits party over alleged stock transactions under borrowed name
Rep. Lee Choon-suak of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who faces allegations of stock trading under borrowed names, speaks to reporters after attending a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday.
Rep. Lee Choon-suak of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) quit the party Tuesday after allegations that he traded stocks under a borrowed name prompted both an internal party investigation and a separate police probe.
The four-term lawmaker conveyed his decision to leave the party in a phone call with DPK leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae, saying he was "sorry for causing trouble to the party," according to a message from the party.
Earlier in the day, a press photo taken the previous day was released showing Lee trading stocks on a mobile phone using the name of one of his aides inside the parliamentary plenary chamber.
Chung immediately ordered the party's ethics inspection team to launch a fact-firing investigation, while the police also opened a probe into Lee and the aide over suspected violations of the law requiring real-name financial transactions.
Lee has denied using another person's identity to open a stock account or trade shares.