Han Dong-hoon: Lee Jae-myung's apology to Noh Woong-rae is a ploy to dismiss his own case

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has sharply criticized President Lee Jae-myung's apology to former Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Woong-rae, describing it as a transparent attempt to build a case for dismissing Lee's own legal charges. Noh was recently acquitted in his appeal against charges of receiving illegal political funds.

Lee had apologized on social media for excluding Noh from party nominations in the 2024 general election, stating it was a difficult decision made under pressure from "political prosecutors." He offered belated apologies to Noh, who he said had proven his innocence. This move has drawn criticism from Han, who suggested Lee was playing a "melodramatic role" in the Noh case after a previous political misstep.

Following Noh's acquittal, several Democratic Party lawmakers, including Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil, have called for accountability from prosecutors and Han, who served as Justice Minister. They argue that Noh was wrongly accused and that the prosecution, along with Han, should take responsibility. Song specifically accused Han of deceiving lawmakers with false statements about hearing the rustling of money envelopes.

Han, however, pushed back against these accusations, reiterating his stance on Facebook. He highlighted that the court proceedings included recordings of conversations between Noh and a broker's wife that went beyond mere rustling sounds, suggesting explicit discussion of receiving money. Han challenged the Democratic Party to play these recordings in the National Assembly, asserting that the public should judge the reality of politicians defending someone accused of taking bribes.