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People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok and floor leader Song Eon-seok chant slogans with fellow lawmakers in front of the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on November 17, calling for a parliamentary investigation into alleged pressure to drop the appeal in the Daejang-dong case. / Source: Yonhap News

The conservative People Power Party (PPP) on November 17 intensified its offensive over the prosecution’s decision to drop an appeal in the Daejang-dong case, accusing the government of turning “the entire country into a playground for criminals” and demanding both a parliamentary investigation and a special counsel probe.

At a press conference in front of the War Memorial of Korea near the presidential office in Yongsan at 8 a.m., PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok argued that prosecutors’ decision not to appeal had effectively written off a massive loss for taxpayers.

“Because they gave up the appeal, 780 billion won of the people’s money has vanished,” Jang said. “The entire city of Seongnam has become a reservoir for criminals,” he added.

Jang lashed out at key figures in the Daejang-dong development scandal, saying they were “shamelessly” demanding the release of assets that had been frozen to secure future recovery of criminal proceeds, and even threatening the state with compensation claims if their demands were not met. “It’s like watching gangsters running wild with knives and steel pipes, trusting that the boss has their back,” he said.

He went on to say that Justice Minister Chung Sung-ho would be closely watched to see whether he moves ahead with lifting asset-freeze measures following the decision not to appeal. “If he lifts the seizure and becomes the caretaker of this Daejang-dong reservoir, the people will be watching,” Jang warned. “Whether it is lifting the freeze, abolishing the breach-of-trust charge or withdrawing the indictment—if they take even one step further, the public will not forgive them.”

Jang also claimed that the government was trying to erase the criminal liability of President Lee Jae-myung and the Daejang-dong figures by “pushing to abolish the breach-of-trust offense” and by planning to demote prosecutors who criticized the decision not to appeal. “They are stuffing 780 billion won of criminal proceeds into the bellies of criminals, and President Lee today is boarding the presidential jet to run off overseas,” he said.

Targeting Lee, who left for an overseas trip to attend the G20 summit in South Africa, Jang warned: “What awaits him upon his return will be a parliamentary investigation—and after that, a special counsel.”

PPP floor leader Song Eon-seok argued that President Lee, whom he described as part of the “Seongnam leadership,” was the biggest beneficiary of the decision to drop the appeal.

“The person known as the head of this so-called Seongnam leadership is the one who has gained the most from the pressure that led to this decision not to appeal,” Song said. “In the first-instance ruling on Daejang-dong, that person’s name appears some 400 times. That person is the very core of Daejang-dong. Who do you think that is?” he asked pointedly.

Song contended that the Daejang-dong figures no longer had any reason to testify unfavorably against “that person,” and now had room to change the testimony they had already given.

He also blasted ruling-party claims that the “president” mentioned in a recorded phone call between lawyer Nam Wook and former Seongnam Development Corporation planning director Yoo Dong-gyu—saying “hold out for three years, there was an understanding that things would be taken care of during the presidential term”—referred to former president Yoon Suk-yeol.

“It is so absurd it leaves me speechless,” Song said. “If the ‘president’ mentioned in that recording were truly former president Yoon, then why not file a criminal complaint immediately? Why is there no investigation, no special counsel?” he asked, adding, “You can’t block out the sky with the palm of your hand. You can’t just blurt out anything and expect it to become true.”

Song ended with a direct message to President Lee: “Bear this in mind. The responsibility for having paved the way for Daejang-dong figures to pocket an estimated 780 billion won in criminal gains is something you can never escape, no matter how much you try to deceive the public.”