A pile picture shows former president Lee Myung-bak.[Yonhap News Photo]
The mayor of Seoul fired a broadside at South Korea's former conservative president Lee Myung-bak, referring to his ill-fated predecessor who committed suicide following a humiliating probe by state prosecutors into alleged corruption involving his family.
Lee, 75, a businessman-turned conservative politician, served as president from 2008 to 2013 after succeeding Roh Moo-hyun, a liberal leader who jumped from a mountain cliff behind his rural home in the southeastern city of Gimhae on May 23, 2009.
After leaving office in early 2008, Roh returned to his hometown to live an ordinary life and ran a duck farm. His surprise suicide sparked allegations about political retaliation by the Lee government because prosecutors questioned him for alleged bribery involving his family.
"Former president Roh Moo-hyun was subject to the biggest political retaliation I know. That's why the ex-president made unfortunate choices," Park said on a radio program.
Park's comment came after conservative groups voiced concerns about political retaliation against Lee, who is under fire over a political campaign by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to blacklist, gag and bring social disadvantages to outspoken figures and artists critical of the administration during Lee's presidency.
An internal NIS probe has been launched into wrongdoing by intelligence officials including ex-NIS chief Won Sei-hoon who was charged with political interference. The probe revealed NIS documents which contained action plans to slander Park.
On Tuesday, the mayor sued Lee as the mastermind of a covert political smear campaign by intelligence officials. Park, 61, was a social justice and human rights activist before being elected as mayor in 2011 and shared the political philosophy of Roh and the incumbent president.
The mayor insisted the probe should not be seen as political retaliation as it is aimed at digging into political wrongdoing and serious mistakes by the Lee administration that undermined "the foundations of democracy".
The spy agency has been accused of creating a watch list of 82 actors, film directors, columnists and singers for their critical stance toward the Lee administration. It is suspected of peddling influence on public broadcasters to exclude them from the mainstream media. In particular, intelligence officials allegedly pulled the wires from behind conservative civic groups to post malicious online comments against the mayor.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
![[Coronavirus] Seoul mayor voices blatant disgust and doubt over Shincheonji](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2020/02/25/20200225165230483533.jpg)
