DP Lee Jae-myung summoned by prosecutors’ office over Baekhyeon-dong

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung at the party’s meeting at the National Assembly on Thursday. [YONHAP]

 Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has been summoned to the prosecutors’ office in connection to the Baekhyeon-dong development project investigation.  
 
He is scheduled to appear on Aug. 17. This project is separate from the more notorious Daejang-dong development investigation, in which Lee is also implicated.  
 
Similar to the Daejang-dong case, Lee is accused of using his authority as Seongnam mayor to design and approve the 
 
Baekhyeon-dong apartment complex development in favor of private developers back in 2015.
 
Chung Baul, the CEO of Asia Developer, the private developer of Baekhyeon-dong, testified in court that he understood a portion of the 20 billion won profit would be going to DP Chair Lee.
 
Lee Jae-myung accused the government of targeting him as a diversion from their own crisis.  
 
The DP chair on Thursday  asserted that despite facing allegations, he remains steadfast and willing to cooperate with the investigation.
 
Apart from the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong cases, Lee is also connected to an ongoing court case where an underwear company allegedly sent $8 million to North Korea to facilitate Lee’s invitation to Pyongyang.  
 
Additionally, Lee is implicated in a football club sponsorship involving major Korean companies like Naver and Doosan, which reportedly involved a quid-pro-quo arrangement related to headquarters development authorization.
 
Also on Thursday, Bae So-hyeon, a close aide to Lee Jae-myung, received a 10-month prison sentence and 160 hours of community service for violating election laws and spreading false information.  
 
However, the Suwon District Court granted her a two-year probation, sparing her from prison time.  
 
Bae had worked alongside Lee Jae-myung during his tenure in Seongnam city government and later at Gyeonggi government. Her role, previously non-existent, was focused on overseas promotion and attending to visiting foreign dignitaries.
 
An employee from the Gyeonggi government exposed that Bae was acting as a personal secretary to Lee Jae-myung’s wife, Kim Hye-gyeong.  
 
This was revealed when it came to light that Bae had been using a government card to deliver food, including sushi, to Lee Jae-myung’s residence.  
 
Bae was convicted for using the government card to pay for a lunch event hosted by Kim Hye-gyeong for three spouses of DP lawmakers and three assistants in 2021.  
 
This incident occurred during Lee Jae-myung’s bid to become the party’s presidential candidate for the 2022 election while he was still serving as Gyeonggi governor.  
 
Bae was indicted for violating election laws. She was also charged with dishonesty regarding her role as a personal assistant to Lee Jae-myung’s wife, including the delivery of prescribed hormone pills.
 

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]