Korean Lawmakers Demand Apology from Opposition Party Following Conviction of Former Official

On June 22, lawmakers from the People Power Party, who participated in the National Assembly's special committee investigating allegations of politically motivated prosecutions under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, called on the Democratic Party to cease its efforts to absolve Lee Jae-myung and to apologize to the public. This statement followed the conviction of former Gyeonggi Province Peace Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young, who was sentenced to prison for perjury related to testimony about a 'salmon drinking party.' They asserted that the ugly reality of a public deception orchestrated by the Democratic Party has been laid bare.

Reps. Kim Hyung-dong, Na Kyung-won, Song Seok-jun, Shin Dong-wook, and Kwak Kyu-taek held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "The court has recognized the perjury charges against the former vice governor, who brazenly lied during the National Assembly hearings, and sentenced him to four months in prison. This makes it clear that Lee Hwa-young's claims were nothing more than the shameless excuses of a criminal trying to reduce his sentence."

They continued, "The Democratic Party has treated Lee Hwa-young's perjury as if it were a significant piece of evidence, inciting the public by claiming that the allegations of the salmon drinking party have been confirmed as fact. They have been preoccupied with absolving Lee Jae-myung in connection with seven cases by framing them as politically motivated prosecutions by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration."

The lawmakers also criticized the Ministry of Justice for selecting the seven cases discussed by their special committee as the 'first investigation target' for the newly established Future Committee for Respecting Prosecutorial Rights. They stated, "The Ministry of Justice, which should uphold the rule of law, has instead acted as a defense attorney for the defendants, mobilizing state power to assist in the absolution of Lee Jae-myung."

Additionally, they condemned remarks made by Democratic Party lawmakers who claimed that since three out of seven jurors expressed a not guilty opinion, it effectively amounts to a verdict of innocence. They labeled these comments as a denial of the judiciary's ruling, describing it as a serious cognitive dissonance that undermines the fundamental principles of democracy, including the separation of powers and the rule of law.

They warned, "If the ruling party attempts to use its majority to dismiss the charges against Lee Jae-myung, it would constitute an unprecedented grounds for impeachment."