Namwook “Wirye is Lee Jae-myung’s pledge”… Lee denies “declaring abandonment at the time”

Namwook (owner of Cheonhwa-dong Inn No. 4), a private businessman who appeared as a witness in the trial of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myeong’s ‘Daejang-dong, Wirye, Baekhyeon-dong and Seongnam FC’ trial, testified, “I knew the Wirye development project was a pledge of Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myeong at the time.” . Regarding the Wirye development corruption, CEO Lee has denied the charges of breach of trust, saying, “It is a pledge that has been abandoned.”

At the trial held on the 26th at the Criminal Division 33 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Dong-hyun), Representative Lee was given the right to speak and directly cross-examined Mr. Namwook. Representative Lee told Mr. Namwook, “When we proposed the method of establishing a special purpose corporation and using the public-private partnership method in July 2013, Mr. Yoo Dong-gyu (head of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation) testified that he liked it, saying, ‘We can fulfill our promises.’ He asked, “Didn’t he announce that he would give up his pledge for the Wirye development project two months ago?” CEO Lee then said, “I don’t understand why Mr. Yoo Dong-gyu liked this method after hearing it.” It is said that Seongnam Provincial Construction staff and Seongnam City officials already knew about the plan proposed by Namwook, and since it was a project that had already been abandoned, there was no reason for Donggyu Yoo to welcome it.

Mr. Namwook responded, “I knew that the Wirye development project was a pledge made by the mayor.” This runs counter to Representative Lee’s position that “the Wirye development project was a pledge announced to be abandoned in May 2013, so there was no reason to receive reports after that.”

Mr. Namwook said, “At the time, Mr. Yoo said, ‘If (Wirye development) proceeds again and Seongnam City or Dogaeggong makes profits and builds rental apartments, it will be advantageous for (Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung’s) re-election.’” Representative Lee asked, “Isn’t that a pledge?” and Namwook responded, “I knew it was a pledge at the time.” He answered, “Both Daejangdong and Wirye were pledges.”

When the court asked Mr. Namwook whether he remembered specific comments or conversations, Mr. Namwook said, “From what I remember, I proposed a plan that was virtually impossible, and (Mr. Yoo) really liked it. “The word promise was also mentioned,” he said.

At this trial in November of last year, CEO Lee directly stated his position, saying, “I officially declared abandonment of the Wirye development, which was a pledge,” and “Because I gave up my pledge, I was not in a situation to carry it out.”

Meanwhile, the court stated on this day, “Future trials will continue until 7 p.m.” The goal is to speed up the examination of witnesses and speed up the trial.