Jeong Jeom-sik says, "The DPK must return 43.4 billion won... They are watching the fire without even knowing a bomb has fallen"

[Financial News] Jeong Jeom-sik, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on the 28th, calling it "a pathetic party that watches someone else's house burn without even knowing a bomb has fallen on its own house." On the 27th, former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced in the first trial to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years, on charges of making false statements during the 20th presidential election. As a result, the People Power Party now faces the risk of having to return 39.7 billion won in election expenses.
At a floor leadership strategy meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Jeong said the party had closely consulted with companies, listened to the difficulties facing the petrochemical industry, and discussed ways for the government to provide support.
He said, "As soon as the first-trial ruling in former President Yoon's Public Official Election Act case came out yesterday, the DPK launched an offensive, demanding that our party hand over 39.7 billion won. I really cannot help but laugh."
He added, "At some point, the DPK will have to pay back 43.4 billion won for President Lee Jae-myung's violation of the Public Official Election Act. The timing has not yet been set, but the fate is already sealed." He continued, "Our party's 39.7 billion won ruling is only at the first trial stage, but the DPK's 43.4 billion won return to the state treasury was effectively confirmed by the Supreme Court's remand on May 1, 2025. It has only been put on hold because the appellate court, through a forced interpretation of presidential immunity from prosecution, delayed the trial."
Jeong said, "They once talked about dissolving our party, calling it a party tied to Shincheonji and religion, but now isn't the full extent of their own ties to Shincheonji being revealed?" He asked, "Under Article 255 of the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea, indictment withdrawal is only possible before a first-trial verdict. President Lee Jae-myung's Public Official Election Act case has already gone through the first trial, the second trial, and a Supreme Court remand, so indictment withdrawal is impossible. Is the DPK planning to rewrite the Criminal Procedure Act just to block the return of 43.4 billion won to the state treasury and withdraw the indictment?" He then urged the judiciary to keep this in mind as well. "If the judiciary strictly applies the 6-3-3 rule to the People Power Party's election law case involving 39.7 billion won, while indefinitely suspending the DPK's case involving 43.4 billion won, that would not be fair," he said. "Resume President Lee Jae-myung's election law trial immediately."

[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter