Politicians' reactions to Lee's arrest differ

Published : Mar 23, 2018 - 11:48 Updated : Mar 23, 2018 - 11:48

Politicians' reactions to the arrest of former President Lee Myung-bak varied Friday, though they converged on the call for an end to the dark chapter of the nation's presidential history riddled with corruption and power abuse.

On Thursday night, Lee, who led the country from 2008 to 2013, was put under detention on bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion and other charges, becoming the country's fourth former president to be arrested for corruption.

"I hope that the arrest of a former president, a tragedy in our constitutional history, will not happen again," Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party, wrote on Facebook, noting that South Korea is in the process of "shoring up justice."

"The Democratic Party is viewing the arrest with a sense of graveness, and on this occasion, our party will strive to be stricter on itself," she added.

Noting that Lee and former President Park Geun-hye, who has been indicted in a separate corruption scandal, used to be the core members of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Choo stressed the need for the rival party to shoulder "political responsibility."

Woo Won-shik, the floor leader of the ruling party, called for "strict" legal judgment for Lee's alleged crimes.

Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party, speaking during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday, March 21. (Yonhap)

"I have wretched feelings as to the former president's arrest," Woo said during a party meeting. "(But) there needs to be strict legal judgment for using the presidency to (allegedly) pursue personal gains."

LKP leader Hong Joon-pyo doubled down on his claim that the arrest was "political retribution."

"Wouldn't citizens see (the arrest) as part of the political retribution proceeding under the name of eliminating accumulated ills?" Hong wrote on Facebook.

Many conservatives suspect that the liberal Moon Jae-in government's anti-corruption campaign is politically driven to discredit former conservative governments and help turn the political pendulum in its favor ahead of the June local elections.

Park Joo-sun, co-leader of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, called Lee's arrest a national "disgrace."

"In order to shake off the corrupt image of our republic, (the prosecution) should verify all alleged criminal accusations (against Lee)," he said. "We should also overhaul the emperor-like presidential system to prevent a recurrence."

Park also warned that the claim of political reprisal must not mask Lee's alleged crimes. (Yonhap)