AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Lee Da-hui
  • Jang Dong-hyuk: Capital Gains Tax Hike Will Drive Up Seoul Housing Prices
    Jang Dong-hyuk: Capital Gains Tax Hike Will Drive Up Seoul Housing Prices Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, criticized the reintroduction of the capital gains tax for multiple homeowners on May 10, stating, "Except for Gangnam, housing prices in Seoul have risen again. Is this Lee Jae-myung's version of a 'surgical strike'?" In a post on his Facebook account, Jang remarked, "Gangnam, which he despises, has dropped, so is Lee Jae-myung smiling?" He warned that with the capital gains tax on real estate starting today, prices will continue to rise, noting, "Everyone is pulling their properties off the market." He added, "The rental market has already reached its limit. Jeonse (long-term lease) options are drying up, and monthly rents have increased by tens of thousands of won compared to last year." He predicted that once the elections are over, property taxes will increase, and the long-term holding tax exemption will be abolished, stating, "A true hell awaits us." Jang also criticized Lee Jae-myung's insistence on 'normalizing the real estate market,' saying, "The mindset that believes this is normal is abnormal." He questioned whether the apartment owned by President Lee in Bundang would ever be sold, asking, "Is it just going to be advertised without actually selling?" Choi Bo-yoon, the party's chief spokesperson, also commented, stating, "The feared housing supply lockdown is becoming a reality," and noted that the temporary increase in urgent sales before the tax deadline was not a result of policy effectiveness but rather an attempt to avoid a tax burden. Choi emphasized, "The consequences of the tax-centric policies of the Lee Jae-myung administration are clear. Citizens who own homes are burdened by punitive taxes, while those without homes are pushed out by skyrocketing rents. Sellers face tax barriers, and young people and newlyweds looking to buy homes are frustrated by loan regulations." She further criticized the government for considering reducing long-term holding tax exemptions and stripping benefits from rental property owners, stating, "The government is shaking the market with taxes, and when the market doesn't respond as they wish, they intend to suppress it with even harsher taxes." Choi concluded by asserting that what is needed now is the repeal of punitive taxes that block exit routes and decisive action to eliminate regulations on reconstruction and redevelopment to allow quality housing to be supplied where the market demands. She urged the Lee Jae-myung administration to recognize the failures of past governments that tried to control the market through taxation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-10 11:25:47
  • People Power Party Nominates Cho Yang-deok for Jeonju Mayor
    People Power Party Nominates Cho Yang-deok for Jeonju Mayor The People Power Party's nomination committee announced on May 7 that it has recommended Cho Yang-deok as the sole candidate for the mayor of Jeonju. Park Deok-heum, the head of the committee, stated that Cho possesses extensive experience across academia, media, and the arts, making him a well-suited candidate for the position. In Gyeongnam, the planned primary for the Uiryeong, Ham-an, and Geochang county mayoral races has been canceled due to disagreements among candidates. The committee will decide on the final candidates through a re-evaluation process. Regarding the by-elections, one individual has registered in the Jeonbuk Gunsan, Gimje, and Buan regions following an additional application process. The application period for the Siheung mayoral candidate has also been extended, with details on the selection process to be announced later. The committee plans to revisit the candidacy of Jeong Jin-seok, who had previously announced his intention to run for the Chungnam Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang districts but later withdrew. Park noted, "We will reconsider whether to conduct another application process or finalize the existing candidates, aiming to find a competitive nominee."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 23:33:38
  • Jung Jin-seok Withdraws Candidacy for By-Election, Vows to Serve Party
    Jung Jin-seok Withdraws Candidacy for By-Election, Vows to Serve Party Jung Jin-seok, a former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, announced on May 7 that he is withdrawing his candidacy for the by-election in Chungnam's Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang districts. He stated, "I will return to being an unnamed party member and serve the party from a humble position."In a Facebook post, he expressed concern that his candidacy could harm party unity or weaken the momentum needed to counter the dominance of major powers. He said, "While I am in pain, the party is suffering greatly as well," and confirmed his commitment to follow the party's decisions, including those of Park Deok-heum, the nomination committee chair.Jung emphasized his dedication to the victory of conservative patriotic forces, stating, "The only alternative to stop the Democratic Party's reckless governance is the People Power Party. I hope the public will look at us once more, even if they dislike us." He urged support for the People Power Party to counter the authoritarian rule of the Lee Jae-myung administration.Concerns had been raised within the party that Jung's nomination could negatively impact the local elections. Kim Tae-heum, the candidate for Chungnam governor, hinted at the possibility of leaving the party if Jung were nominated.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 21:42:04
  • People Power Party Abstains from Constitutional Amendment Vote, Proposes New Committee
    People Power Party Abstains from Constitutional Amendment Vote, Proposes New Committee People Power Party lawmakers abstained from voting on a constitutional amendment at the National Assembly on May 7. They proposed forming a bipartisan committee in the second half of the 22nd National Assembly to discuss a comprehensive amendment covering everything from the preamble to the restructuring of power. After a party meeting, lawmakers stated, "We will resolutely oppose any rushed, piecemeal constitutional amendments that disregard the public's will," and pledged to prepare a responsible amendment that upholds the spirit of the Constitution and the rule of law.They emphasized that the value of the Constitution lies in the protection of the rule of law and the consensus of the people, describing it as the most sacred social contract between the citizens and the state. They asserted that the sovereign people have delegated power to the state through this contract, and both the president and the National Assembly, as representatives of the people, must faithfully uphold constitutional principles.The lawmakers criticized the government and ruling party for attempting to undermine the judicial system with measures like the 'Special Prosecutor Law on Dismissal of Charges,' which they described as a plot to destroy the judiciary. They warned that pushing for unilateral amendments that violate the rule of law is a betrayal of the people and a direct challenge to the sovereign.They outlined five principles for the proposed amendment, insisting it should enhance and restore the spirit of the Constitution rather than weaken the separation of powers. They called for a public discourse involving the National Assembly, civil society, and academia to inform the amendment process.The lawmakers stressed that the preamble must reflect a unified historical perspective that safeguards Korea's legitimacy, incorporating significant events such as the Busan Uprising, the May 18 Democratic Movement, the founding of the nation, the Korean War, and other pivotal moments in the history of South Korea's democracy.They argued that amendments should not be conducted behind closed doors by those undermining the rule of law but should instead be a 'people-participatory amendment' centered on the sovereign. They urged an end to political maneuvers that divide the nation and called for bipartisan cooperation based on checks and balances. Furthermore, they stated that constitutional amendments should not be used as a political tool during election periods but should be pursued calmly when elections are not imminent.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 16:30:43
  • People Power Party slams special counsel bill allowing indictment cancellations in Lee Jae-myung cases
    People Power Party slams special counsel bill allowing indictment cancellations in Lee Jae-myung cases The People Power Party held an on-site meeting of its 최고위원회 in front of Cheong Wa Dae on May 7 and criticized a special counsel bill that would allow the cancellation of indictments in cases involving President Lee Jae-myung. The party said indictment cancellations would go beyond “erasing Lee Jae-myung’s crimes” and amount to “the last tollgate on the road to dictatorship.” It also urged that five trials involving Lee be resumed. Party leaders, including Jang Dong-hyeok, spoke at the meeting held in front of the fountain at the Sarangchae near Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. Jang said, “In Lee Jae-myung’s eyes inside Cheong Wa Dae, he can’t see the economy, people’s livelihoods, diplomacy or security — anything. Right now, Lee is thinking only about not going to prison.” Jang cited allegations including illegal remittances to North Korea, the Daejang-dong scandal, perjury, misuse of corporate card funds and election law violations, calling them “clear and shameless crimes” that he said Lee could not avoid facing. He claimed Lee was trying to “erase his crimes altogether by appointing a special counsel himself.” “In short, he wants to use a special counsel to take the indictment from the judge and have Lee Jae-myung tear it up with his own hands,” Jang said, adding, “He seems afraid of going to jail, but not afraid of the public at all.” Jang said, “The moment criminal Lee Jae-myung tears up the indictment with his own hands, an all-powerful dictatorship will begin in earnest,” and warned of harsher pressure on the opposition and the media. He also called the upcoming local elections a vote to stop what he described as “Lee Jae-myung’s dictatorship.” Jang also said he opposed a constitutional amendment proposal scheduled for a vote at the National Assembly plenary session that day, calling it a political maneuver to extend Lee’s rule. He said that if Lee wants a constitutional revision, Lee should first declare he will not seek another term. Jang urged the immediate withdrawal of the special counsel bill tied to indictment cancellations and called for the repeal of laws he described as unconstitutional. “They drafted a constitutional amendment to suit their tastes, introduced it first, and now say they want discussions — that itself is a dictatorial idea,” he said. Floor leader Song Eon-seok also criticized the special counsel measure, calling it an unprecedented “self-pardon bill” that would mobilize state power to erase Lee’s alleged criminal suspicions. “If he is truly confident, as he says, there is no reason to avoid trial,” Song said. Song added that five trials involving Lee — including cases tied to Daejang-dong, Baekhyeon-dong, Ssangbangwool-related remittances to North Korea, and violations of the Public Official Election Act — “should be resumed immediately.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-07 11:20:05
  • People Power Party Opposes Ruling Party’s Special Counsel Bill on Dropping Charges, to Skip Constitutional Vote
    People Power Party Opposes Ruling Party’s Special Counsel Bill on Dropping Charges, to Skip Constitutional Vote The People Power Party on May 6 adopted a resolution opposing the Democratic Party’s proposed “special counsel bill on dropping charges.” After a party lawmakers’ meeting at the National Assembly, floor deputy chief whip Yoo Sang-beom told reporters, “At today’s meeting, People Power Party lawmakers resolved to oppose the unconstitutional and illegal special counsel aimed at dropping charges.” The resolution calls for: opposition to the Democratic Party’s bill; opposition to “all unconstitutional and illegal attempts” to drop charges against President Lee Jae-myung; joint action with political parties, civic groups and citizens who oppose dropping charges against the president; urging the judiciary to immediately resume the president’s five trials; and a pledge to fight what it called the ruling party’s effort to turn South Korea into a “republic of criminals.” The party also said it plans to boycott a National Assembly vote on a constitutional amendment scheduled for May 7. Yoo said most lawmakers believed it would be inappropriate to take part because the Democratic Party was pushing the process unilaterally to align with local elections, without sufficient discussion and deliberation. Responding to criticism that the party did not gather enough views, Yoo said the party line was not formed all at once and that there had been “sufficient discussion” among many lawmakers over a considerable period. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 18:13:42
  • South Korea’s People Power Party rallies against proposed special counsel on dropped indictments
    South Korea’s People Power Party rallies against proposed special counsel on dropped indictments The People Power Party on May 6 urged the Democratic Party to withdraw a proposed special counsel bill tied to canceling indictments, calling it a “special counsel law to erase the president’s trial.” Floor leader Song Eon-seok made the remarks at a rally at the National Assembly titled “Rally condemning a special counsel to erase President Lee Jae-myung’s crimes.” He said it would create “a world where a thief appoints the police and the police erase the thief’s trial,” calling it “the face of Lee Jae-myung’s Korea.” Song criticized what he described as a reversal of basic roles in the justice system, saying police should catch thieves, prosecutors should investigate them and judges should rule on their crimes. “The country is being run in a strange way,” he said. He said President Lee had described the indictment-cancellation special law as something that “must be done,” which Song claimed amounted to an order that Lee’s trial “must be eliminated by canceling the indictment.” Song also accused Lee of using presidential power to “erase all” of his criminal record, calling it a “dictatorial idea” and “tyranny.” Referring to Lee’s reported comment asking that timing and procedures be judged carefully, Song said Lee did not ask for a review of the substance. Song argued the message was that cancellation was mandatory, while the timing should be weighed because an election is approaching and public backlash is a concern. Song urged the government and ruling party to act immediately if they intend to proceed, adding that they should instead pledge openly in the upcoming local elections to cancel the indictment and “receive the people’s judgment.” Rep. Yoon Sang-hyeon, in a separate speech, said an unprecedented effort was underway to “launder” judicial decisions through legislation. He accused backers of the bill of trying to create the special counsel law “for Lee Jae-myung alone,” shake investigative agencies, pressure the court and “wash 12 criminal allegations completely not guilty.” Yoon called it unconstitutional and anti-state behavior that breaks the principle of a liberal democratic republic, describing it as a “self-exemption legislative coup” that would undermine the rule of law.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 16:22:54
  • PPP Yeongnam gubernatorial candidates denounce DP’s prosecution-cancellation special counsel bill
    PPP Yeongnam gubernatorial candidates denounce DP’s prosecution-cancellation special counsel bill The People Power Party’s five mayoral and gubernatorial candidates in the Yeongnam region on the 6th condemned the Democratic Party’s push for a “special counsel bill to cancel prosecutions,” calling it a measure that would let the president “erase his own crimes.” Kim Du-gyeom, the PPP’s Ulsan mayoral candidate; Park Heong-joon, the Busan mayoral candidate; Choo Kyung-ho, the Daegu mayoral candidate; Lee Cheol-woo, the North Gyeongsang governor candidate; and Park Wan-soo, the South Gyeongsang governor candidate made the remarks at a news conference at Ulsan City Hall’s press center. They said they would “block to the end, together with the public, the unconstitutional attempt by President Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party.” They argued that allowing a special counsel appointed by the president to cancel the president’s own trial would amount to improper interference in judicial procedures and a violation of the constitutional principle of separation of powers, calling it “a judicial coup disguised as legislation” and “judicial insurrection.” The candidates said Lee’s trial is currently suspended during his term and “poses no obstacle to governing,” but that seeking to eliminate his case through prosecution cancellation while in office would be an unconstitutional act that directly contradicts South Korea’s constitutional order. They also said the proposal violates the principle of equality, arguing that the president is “one citizen before the law,” and that rejecting that principle would place the president above the Constitution. “Power that seeks to stand above the law is anti-democratic and anti-republican, and the Republic of Korea, a democratic republic, strongly rejects this,” they said. The candidates criticized Lee’s request that the ruling party gather public opinion on adopting the special counsel measure, saying it appeared to be political calculation aimed at avoiding fallout in local elections less than a month away, rather than a commitment to uphold the Constitution. They claimed it was effectively an admission that the president himself is behind what they called an attempt to “launder” alleged crimes. They said the bill should not pass the National Assembly, but added that even if it does, Lee “must” exercise his veto. If he does not, they said, it would mean the president is abandoning his duty to defend the Constitution and betraying the oath made to the public. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 11:09:15
  • Lee Yong Announces Bid for Hanam Gap By-Election, Apologizes for Yoon Administration
    Lee Yong Announces Bid for Hanam Gap By-Election, Apologizes for Yoon Administration Lee Yong, a former lawmaker from the People Power Party, announced May 6 that he will run in the parliamentary by-election in Gyeonggi Province’s Hanam Gap district, pledging to “restore the rule of law and democracy” and “open a bigger future for Hanam.” Lee, who served as chief aide to Yoon Suk Yeol during Yoon’s presidential campaign and was known as a close protector, apologized, saying he is not free of responsibility “now that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration has disappointed and hurt the public.” Speaking at a news conference at the National Assembly press center, Lee said, “If you helped create an administration, you must also take responsibility when it fails.” “Creating an administration was the reason a party exists, and I carried out my duties as a People Power Party lawmaker,” he said. “But now that the administration has disappointed and hurt the public, I am not free of responsibility. I’m sorry. I sincerely apologize.” He added, “I will not make excuses or hide. I will not avoid the public’s punishment,” and said he would change first, take responsibility where needed, fix what must be fixed, and rebuild trust through actions rather than words. Taking aim at former Democratic Party lawmaker Choo Mi-ae and Lee Kwang-jae, a Hanam Gap candidate, Lee said the election is “a contest between someone running for Hanam and someone who came to Hanam for an election,” adding, “Hanam is not a nest where migratory birds stop briefly and leave.” Lee said he did not leave Hanam after losing the last general election because “an election ending does not mean promises to citizens end.” He said he spent the past two years visiting neighborhoods across the city and met residents for talks and other outreach sessions as few as five times a day and as many as 20. He said he would keep promises to Hanam residents and put their lives at the center of his politics, and urged voters to “judge the arrogant Lee Jae-myung administration” on June 3 and to restore livelihoods and ensure Hanam’s development continues without interruption. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 10:09:14
  • PPP’s Choo Kyung-ho and Lee Cheol-woo visit Park Geun-hye, urge conservatives to hold Daegu
    PPP’s Choo Kyung-ho and Lee Cheol-woo visit Park Geun-hye, urge conservatives to hold Daegu People Power Party Daegu mayoral candidate Choo Kyung-ho and North Gyeongsang Gov. Lee Cheol-woo, also a candidate in the June 3 local elections, visited Park Geun-hye on May 4, in what appeared to be an effort to rally conservative voters with help from former presidents. The two candidates visited Park’s home in Dalseong County, Daegu, on Monday afternoon. They were accompanied by Lee In-sun, head of the party’s Daegu chapter; Koo Ja-geun, head of the party’s North Gyeongsang chapter; and lawmaker Yoo Young-ha. After the meeting, Choo told reporters Park is “a former president from our party and the most senior figure in conservative politics,” and said he visited to pay his respects, check on her well-being and talk with her. Choo said Park recalled praising him during her administration, saying he had strong drive “true to his name,” which he said helped put him at ease. He said Park also voiced concern that recent domestic and international conditions were unsettled and said that in such times it is important to defend liberal democracy and that Daegu should play its role as a center of conservative politics. Choo said Park encouraged them to work hard and win, adding that she said each voter’s choice would determine the nation’s fate and that the public would choose wisely. Choo said he took her remarks seriously and pledged to revive Daegu’s economy and “protect the conservative heart.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 16:37:02