On December 13, Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party, accused President Lee Jae Myung of self-incrimination. This came after Lee publicly rebuked Lee Hak-jae, the president of Incheon International Airport Corporation, during a ministry briefing, specifically mentioning the bookmark dollar smuggling technique. Na pointed out that this was the same method used by Ssangbangwool Group employees to smuggle dollars for North Korean remittances in 2019.
Na took to Facebook, questioning, why did the president fixate on the bookmark dollar smuggling method among countless smuggling techniques?
She noted that this oddly specific method, unimaginable to most, rang a bell. It’s clear that the vivid criminal technique of ‘hiding dollars in books and cosmetic cases, as detailed in the prosecutor’s indictment, left a lasting impression on the president.
Na argued that this isn’t mere criticism; psychologically, it’s akin to a Freudian slip. The president’s subconscious dredged up memories tied to his own legal risks, manifesting as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when confronting an innocent public official.
The day before, at the Sejong Convention Center, President Lee had harshly criticized Lee Hak-jae during a ministry briefing, citing his poor grasp of duties. Lee pressed that is it true that while it can’t legally take more than 10,000 USD overseas, it can smuggle tens of thousands by slipping them between book pages? He added, Are you off gallivanting somewhere? and remarked, You seem even more clueless than I am.
Some members of the People Power Party suggested that President Lee’s actions amounted to election meddling, given Lee Hak-jae’s potential candidacy for Incheon mayor.
Party spokesperson Jo Yong-sul commented that it would have been more honest if Lee had admitted to wanting to take a shot at someone from the previous administration, considering Lee Hak-jae’s potential mayoral run. Yesterday it was Seoul, today it’s Incheon. This exemplifies President Lee’s pattern of election interference.