Opposition leader to appear for additional questioning this week

SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung will appear before prosecutors for another round of questioning later this week, his party said Tuesday, in what would be his third such appearance in about a month for investigations into corruption allegations.

Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), has decided to visit the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office around 11 a.m. on Friday for questioning, the party said in a text message sent to reporters.

Lee has been accused of a breach of trust in connection with corruption allegations surrounding development projects in the Wirye and Daejang-dong districts in the city of Seongnam, south of Seoul, pushed for when he was its mayor.

He was also accused of wrongdoing in bribery allegations involving Seongnam's municipal football club.

It will mark the third time Lee will appear for questioning since he was elected party leader in August, after the first appearance on Jan. 10 and then on Jan. 28.

Lee has claimed his innocence, rejecting all charges against him as fabricated. In what appeared to be an attempt to paint the investigation as politically motivated, he claimed that prosecutors summoned him because he lost the presidential election.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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