Gyeonggi governor to file complaint against police

By Kang Seung-woo

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung plans to file a complaint with the prosecution against the police for “false investigations” into multiple allegations against him.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung speaks to reporters during his appearance at Bundang Police Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 29, to be questioned over multiple allegations. / Yonhap

Aides to the former Seongnam mayor said Monday the governor would file the complaint against the superintendent and the chief criminal investigator of Bundang Police Station for leaking classified information of an investigation and coercing a witness to give false testimony.

Lee's move came days after the police booked him, Thursday, for allegedly abusing his power, spreading false information and violating the election law. While sending the case to the prosecution for further investigation, it said Lee should be indicted on those charges.

According to police, the 54-year-old is suspected of abusing his mayoral power to forcefully institutionalize his older brother, now deceased, at a mental hospital and violating the Election Law by falsely denying the accusation.

Plus, Lee is faced with an allegation that he spread false information about a local land development deal when he was running for the post.

They came to the decision after questioning Lee late last month over the mounting allegations. Another allegation, an extramarital affairs with an actress, was not included because the police could not question the actress properly.

In the wake of the police booking, Lee responded harshly.

“I was at a loss over the result of the police investigation of me abusing my authority to have my older brother hospitalized against his will, which fabricates the facts and distorts the case,” Lee said on Facebook, Sunday.

“I will lodge a suit against the relevant police officers.”

He added: “Most police officers are loyal to their country and serving the people, but those who are involved in this case are abusing their authority and fabricating evidence for political gain, hurting the reputation of their colleagues.”

The governor's envisaged complaint against police is seemingly aimed at urging prosecutors to fairly investigate his case.

“We not only have the police in our country, we have the prosecution and the courts. They will naturally find their way to the truth and there will be a rational result in the end,” Lee said during his appearance for police questioning, Oct. 29.

An aide to Lee said in a media interview, “Unlike the police, the prosecution is an independent organization, so we expect prosecutors to investigation the case according to the law.”

Lee's side initially planned to lodge the complaint Monday but delayed it to Tuesday, saying they needed to supplement it.

In response to Lee's criticism, Bundang Police Station refuted his claims ― although it is refraining from issuing an official statement due to political sensitivity.

“The investigation into allegations surrounding Lee has been conducted fairly in coordination with the prosecution,” an officer of the police station said.

“The forced hospitalization case was reviewed sufficiently by the prosecution and the courts when the former requested search warrants for Lee's residence and the hospital, and the latter issued them.”