104 DP lawmakers launch group seeking indictment cancellation

Feb 24, 2026, 07:26 am

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Lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea attend the launch ceremony of a group calling for the cancellation of indictments and a parliamentary probe into cases involving President Lee Jae-myung at the National Assembly on Feb. 23. / Yonhap

A group of 104 lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) officially launched a caucus on Feb. 23 calling for the cancellation of indictments and a parliamentary investigation into cases involving President Lee Jae-myung, drawing sharp criticism from opposition figures.

The group, formally titled the “Lawmakers’ Meeting to Pursue Indictment Cancellation and a National Investigation into President Lee Jae-myung’s Cases,” declared its aim to restore what it described as judicial justice. It claims that eight indictments related to Lee — including the Daejang-dong development scandal and the alleged Ssangbangwool remittance to North Korea case — were fabricated prosecutions.

Park Sung-joon, the group’s standing representative, said at the launch ceremony held at the National Assembly, “The political prosecutors under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration went beyond investigations to fabricate evidence and tailor testimonies. The cancellation of indictments against President Lee is not about saving a particular individual. It is about restoring judicial justice.”

The caucus announced plans to push for a parliamentary investigation as a first step. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Park said, “Our initial plan is to conduct a national investigation to uncover the truth and inform the public.”

The launch has sparked political backlash, with critics describing it as a show of force by pro-Lee lawmakers within the ruling party. Observers noted that many members of the group are aligned with Lee, raising speculation that the caucus could also serve as leverage in internal party dynamics, including efforts to check party leader Chung Cheong-rae’s leadership.

The opposition People Power Party strongly condemned the move. Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said at a Supreme Council meeting, “Borrowing the words of writer Yoo Si-min, this is, in a word, a crazy act.”

Yoo Si-min had earlier referred to the caucus as a “strange gathering” during an appearance on MBC’s program “Questions from Sohn Suk-hee,” suggesting it was little more than a display of political strength.

In response to the criticism, Park said, “We will demonstrate our purpose clearly through tangible results.”

#Democratic Party of Korea #Lee Jae-myung #Park Sung-joon #Jang Dong-hyuk #Yoo Si-min