Troubled opposition leader

Prosecutors are expanding their investigation into the close aides of Lee Jae-myung, head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DKP). On Wednesday, prosecutors raided the home and office of Jeong Jin-sang, known as Lee’s right-hand man, on suspicion of receiving 140 million won ($102,000) in bribes from property developers. The raid came a day after prosecutors indicted Kim Yong, another confidante of Lee, on charges of receiving 847 million won in illegal political funds. Both flatly deny the allegations.

A fierce legal battle is expected during Kim’s trial. Prosecutors seem to think it is possible to prove the suspicions about Kim based on a concerted statement by two people who claim to have offered bribes. However, Kim has denied the allegations since his arrest on Oct. 19, saying the alleged donors are making false statements without hard evidence. Prosecutors must focus on presenting physical evidence to support their charge while maintaining the statements made by the alleged donors. The court battle which seeks to find out the truth behind the bribe allegation will likely draw the public’s attention.

However, it is not easy to ignore the observation made by many in the legal community that the prosecution’s investigation into Kim and Jeong is aimed at targeting their boss. Since bribery allegations first surfaced last year, controversy has been mounting about whether Lee was involved. Immediately after the prosecution’s raid on Jeong, the DPK reacted strongly, referring to the raid as a political show. In contrast, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) called for “cooperation with the prosecution’s law enforcement activities in a straightforward manner.”

The investigation by prosecutors should not be tied to or swayed by partisan interests. Prosecutors should always consider public expectations for a fair and transparent investigation.