Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the Reform Party, stated that he was "completely unaware" of the staged attack involving Jeong Yi-han, a former candidate for mayor of Busan, which has sparked controversy during the June 3 local elections. In response to independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon's demand for clarity on when he became aware of the incident, Lee remarked, "I hope he doesn't look at it with a cynical perspective."
Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly on July 10, Lee acknowledged that while some politicians may raise suspicions, it is unlikely that Jeong would have informed them, adding, "The police did not officially notify us either," and emphasized, "I was not aware of it, and I did not recognize it."
When asked if he noticed anything unusual around mid-May, when Jeong reportedly admitted to the staged attack, Lee explained, "He was one of eight regional leaders, and since I wasn't particularly involved or focused on any specific area, I did not have individual insights."
Regarding the ongoing internal investigation within the party, Lee noted, "Since Jeong has resigned, our authority is limited," and added, "Even up to the day of the search and seizure, people from the Busan camp were unaware of what was happening, so I asked them, but it was not a situation where I could get answers."
He further stated, "As we were nominating candidates in the triple digits, it is inevitable that some unusual cases arise," and emphasized, "We will strengthen post-nomination management to prevent such incidents from happening again."
In response to Han Dong-hoon's request for the Reform Party to clarify when they became aware of the staged attack, Lee remarked, "Everyone knows how he handled the allegations related to himself, but the Reform Party has not added any comments," and added, "I know what his original profession is, but I hope he doesn't look at it with a cynical perspective."
Earlier, Han stated on Facebook that Jeong received more votes due to sympathy for the staged attack than he would have otherwise, claiming that Busan citizens were deceived and had their voting rights taken away. He pointed out that if it had been known before the election that the attack was staged, far fewer citizens would have voted for Jeong, potentially altering the outcome of the mayoral election. He insisted that both the police and the Reform Party must clarify when they became aware of the staged attack and take responsibility if they knew before the election, as it infringed upon the voting rights of Busan citizens.
Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly on July 10, Lee acknowledged that while some politicians may raise suspicions, it is unlikely that Jeong would have informed them, adding, "The police did not officially notify us either," and emphasized, "I was not aware of it, and I did not recognize it."
When asked if he noticed anything unusual around mid-May, when Jeong reportedly admitted to the staged attack, Lee explained, "He was one of eight regional leaders, and since I wasn't particularly involved or focused on any specific area, I did not have individual insights."
Regarding the ongoing internal investigation within the party, Lee noted, "Since Jeong has resigned, our authority is limited," and added, "Even up to the day of the search and seizure, people from the Busan camp were unaware of what was happening, so I asked them, but it was not a situation where I could get answers."
He further stated, "As we were nominating candidates in the triple digits, it is inevitable that some unusual cases arise," and emphasized, "We will strengthen post-nomination management to prevent such incidents from happening again."
In response to Han Dong-hoon's request for the Reform Party to clarify when they became aware of the staged attack, Lee remarked, "Everyone knows how he handled the allegations related to himself, but the Reform Party has not added any comments," and added, "I know what his original profession is, but I hope he doesn't look at it with a cynical perspective."
Earlier, Han stated on Facebook that Jeong received more votes due to sympathy for the staged attack than he would have otherwise, claiming that Busan citizens were deceived and had their voting rights taken away. He pointed out that if it had been known before the election that the attack was staged, far fewer citizens would have voted for Jeong, potentially altering the outcome of the mayoral election. He insisted that both the police and the Reform Party must clarify when they became aware of the staged attack and take responsibility if they knew before the election, as it infringed upon the voting rights of Busan citizens.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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