SEONGNAM, South Korea-- Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung appeared at a prosecutors office for questioning over bribery allegations Tuesday, accusing the prosecution of fabricating charges against him.

Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), arrived at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office located just south of Seoul at 10:20 a.m., surrounded by a large crowd of supporters, including DP lawmakers.

Police personnel were deployed to prevent a possible clash between supporters and detractors.

"There is no point in explaining the truth to the prosecution," Lee told reporters, claiming the prosecution has already decided to indict him. "There is no way to explain the prosecution's strange logic other than this is a fabricated and targeted investigation aimed at removing the political enemy."

"After all, the truth will have to be determined in court," he said. "I will take this on with my head high, as I have never asked for any privileges, and I've not done anything wrong, and there is no reason to avoid it."

Lee reiterated this stance as he left the prosecutors office after 12 hours of questioning later in the evening.

"The conclusion is already fixed and it is obvious they will indict me," he said. He claimed the prosecution failed to reveal firm evidence in their case against him.

"In the end, the truth will be determined in court," he added.

Prosecutors suspect Lee, who served as the mayor of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, is linked to allegations that the city government attracted 17 billion won (US$13.7 million) in corporate donations to its municipal football club in return for administrative favors between 2016 and 2018.

The companies include internet portal giant Naver Corp. and Doosan Engineering & Construction Co.

Last year, prosecutors indicted a former head of Doosan Engineering & Construction on charges of donating 5.5 billion won to Seongnam FC in exchange for business favors, and have since expanded the investigation to other firms.

Prosecutors have argued the money was a donation, while Lee has argued the money was provided as advertising expenses.

"If a Seongnam FC employee attracts advertisements, it will only benefit citizens of Seongnam by reducing taxes," Lee said, adding an individual cannot benefit form the advertisement revenue.

According to an arraignment of the former head of Doosan Engineering & Construction, Lee was stated as an "accomplice" in the alleged wrongdoing.

Prosecutors further suspect Naver donated 3.9 billion won to Seongnam FC in return for various administrative favors, such as permission for the construction of the firm's second headquarters in the city.

CHA Bundang Medical Center, a major hospital, meanwhile, allegedly donated 3.3 billion won to the football club in return for receiving preferential treatment in altering the zoning of its property.

The probe began in 2018 after the now-defunct Bareunmirae Party filed a complaint against Lee, claiming he pressured large corporations based in the city to make donations.

Police initially dropped the case in September 2021, citing insufficient evidence. But the accuser again raised an objection, and the prosecution ordered a reinvestigation.

The prosecution is largely expected to decide whether to indict Lee by the end of this month at the latest.

It is his fourth appearance for questioning at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office. He was previously questioned for various allegations, including using his position to lock his elder brother in a mental hospital against his will.

"This is the first administration in our constitutional history that has summoned the sitting head of the No. 1 opposition party to the prosecution," DP floor leader Park Hong-geun said in a party meeting earlier, referring to the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

"On the surface, they talk about the rule of law, but the truth is that this is no different from an immoral iron-fist rule aimed at removing the political enemy of President Yoon Suk Yeol and suppressing the opposition party," he said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency