Main opposition leader urges president to sit down for talks

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung speaks during a New Year press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung claimed that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration is “destroying the opposition” and warned that “state affairs will continue to be in shambles and remain in a state of crisis” unless the ruling bloc accepts the opposition as a counterpart of conversation.

The former presidential candidate also denounced the prosecution, which is investigating his alleged involvement in a bribery scandal involving Seongnam FC, a football club run by Seongnam, a city just south of Seoul, when he served as mayor, saying “prosecutors have become a puppet of the powers that be.”

Lee made the remarks during a New Year's press conference at the National Assembly, two days after he was grilled by prosecutors as a suspect in the Seongnam FC scandal.

“A risk to Korea is emerging as economic difficulties are coupled with disasters in national security,” Lee said. “In these difficult times, politics should return to where it should be…(the ruling bloc) should stop its practice of handling state affairs unilaterally and violently.”

Lee added that the ruling camp should stop its “scheme to destroy the main opposition party” claiming that the government is striving to persecute the DPK and political enemies of the People Power Party (PPP) while promoting bipartisan cooperation only with words.

So far, the DPK has been claiming that the prosecution's investigation into Lee constitutes “political persecution” or “retaliation” against the main opposition party by the president, who was a former prosecutor general. It was the first time in Korea's Constitutional history appearance that an incumbent main opposition party leader was questioned by the prosecution. In addition, Lee is expected to be investigated for other issues, such as a land development scandal in Seongnam when he was mayor.

“Right now, the prosecution is nothing more than a puppet of the power, yielding its investigative and indicting authority without considering fairness and rationality,” Lee said. “The prosecution is now doing politics instead of investigating.”

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung leaves the Seongnam branch of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, Gyeonggi Province, after answering questions as a suspect in a bribery scandal, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

The DPK chairman also alleged that the Yoon administration is “handling state affairs unilaterally” without holding proper conversations with the opposition.

“The Yoon government is being criticized for not holding a conversation with the main opposition party chairman during the past eight months after taking power,” Lee said.

“Unless the ruling bloc accepts the public and the main opposition party as counterparts to conversations, state affairs will continue to be in shambles and remain in a state of crisis. If the government enforces its so-called three reforms initiative like prosecutors executing warrants, it will face serious backlashes without any outcomes,” he added.

The three reforms initiative is Yoon's pledge to reform the country's labor, education and pension systems. Of the three, labor reform efforts are facing strong protests from the country's unions and the DPK, as the government seeks to look into the accounting practices of unionized workers' groups.

“I have already proposed talks with the president many times, and the proposal is still valid now," he said. “I urge (the president) to stop unilateral practices and cooperate for the recovery of politics.”

As Lee said, there have been no meetings between the president and the DPK leader since Yoon took office in May last year. Lee did not attend the president's New Year meeting with politicians on Jan. 2, citing a previously arranged schedule of events and appointments.

The PPP slammed the DPK chief for demanding a meeting with the president.

“Lee is not in a situation to hold a press conference in such a relaxed manner,” PPP interim leader Chung Jin-suk said.

“Lee, who is at the center of widespread suspicions, made no apology on questions surrounding him and the suspicious deaths of people close to him, and held the press conference as if he faces no urgency,” Chung Jin-suk added. “This is not the time for the president to have talks with a suspect in a crime.”

Three people, who were linked to Lee before he became the DPK leader, were found dead in separate incidents, believed to be suicides, in the last few years.

An official at the presidential office said, “We are always open for a meeting (with Lee), but we have to consider multiple situations including that of the National Assembly.”

During Thursday's press conference, Lee proposed 30 trillion won ($24 billion) in projects to ease the cost of living, a major revamp in the Cabinet and a national-level emergency economic meeting involving the National Assembly, the government, businesses and labor representatives.

Lee also proposed a Constitutional amendment allowing the president to serve up to two four-year terms, shifting from the current single five-year term, and promised that the DPK will table a plan by March.