By Lee Kyung-min



Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung is under growing suspicion that he maintained a close relationship with an organized crime gang, following a documentary which confirmed he defended one of its members in 2007. The year was when he said his "human rights lawyer" activities were at its peak.



The report by local broadcaster SBS, Saturday, raised the allegation that its previous documentary about the suspicious death of a young Korean, surnamed Lim, in Pattaya, Thailand in 2015, uncovered suspected close relations between then Seongnam Mayor Lee and an international organized crime gang base in the city. Lee's successor, current Seongnam Mayor Eun Soo-mi, was also involved in the suspicious relations, SBS added.



The TV station said it received a tip involving the suspected killer in the death of Lim, who was brutally murdered in November 2015, shortly after leaving for Thailand for a high-stakes, high-paying money making scheme orchestrated by the gang. The suspect, Kim Hyung-jin, was one of the city-based gang members who was loyal to the leadership, among whom was Lee Joon-seok, the CEO of a Seongnam-based wholesales company mostly dealing in Chinese-made electronics devices.



SBS said the CEO was among many defendants defended by Governor Lee in a trial for alleged organized criminal activities including illegal gambling in 2007, raising questions over why the supposed human rights advocate defended such criminals.



The CEO's company, which signed a memorandum of understanding with the city, set up air filtration systems in long term care facilities for the elderly, sponsored banks and football clubs, all of which were city-run. In return, the report said, then Mayor Lee took a selfie with the CEO which was posted online as promotional material for the firm.



The city government also selected the firm as the winner of a city-organized award which included financial support for overseas business expansion and tax audit exemption for three years. One of the company officials was "illicitly" hired by the city government and the official's wife was also hired by a city-affiliated organization.



The report alleged Governor Lee had undue influence in granting tens of thousands of won in a subsidy to an international martial arts organization. This amount was reduced following an evaluation procedure from a review board that determined it was "too excessive."



In response, Lee claimed the report was a deliberate attempt to seek his "downfall" by misleading the public. In a Facebook message posted only hours before Saturday's show aired, Lee said he would seek the public's sound judgment against a "conspiracy masterminded by the establishment."



Lee said the defendants were among over 4,000 cases he took until June 2010 when he was elected Seongnam mayor. "I decided to defend the suspects and received 3 million won ($2,700) per person as a retainer after their families pled with me stressing they were not members of organized crime gangs and were arrested on baseless grounds." He also dismissed other allegations as "groundless," and designed only to hurt his reputation.

