PPP Slams President Lee's Religious Group Dissolution Remark as 'Public Intimidation'

The People Power Party (PPP) strongly criticized President Lee Jae-myung for mentioning the dissolution of religious groups engaged in illegal activities such as political interference, calling it "an attempt to silence the truth with public power."

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk wrote on Facebook on Friday that "President Lee has turned the Cabinet meeting, which should be busy discussing livelihood issues, into a 'religious suppression forum.'"

"As testimony unfavorable to the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party of Korea poured out, he publicly threatened that 'if you say more, I will wipe you out,'" Jang said.

Referring to media reports that the Unification Church provided financial support to Democratic Party figures, Jang said, "President Lee criticized them for 'engaging in political interference and doing strange things with illegal funds,' but the ones who benefited from those 'strange things' were people in this administration and the Democratic Party."

"If the Unification Church should be dissolved, then the Democratic Party should be dissolved too," he added. "President Lee is trying to suppress religion and silence the people with presidential authority, but no matter how much you cover up filth, you cannot block the smell."

PPP chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon also said in a statement that "pulling out the extreme card of religious group dissolution at consecutive Cabinet meetings is a shameless attempt to cover up the truth about the alleged collusion between the Democratic Party and the Unification Church with power."

"We urge President Lee to immediately stop his blatant public threats and obstruction of justice, and to provide a transparent explanation to the public about the Democratic Party's alleged ties to the Unification Church," Choi said. "The PPP will make every effort to uncover and clarify the truth about allegations of bribery involving Democratic Party figures."

Meanwhile, President Lee said at the Cabinet meeting Friday that "if individuals face sanctions for committing crimes and antisocial behavior, then corporations, whether incorporated associations or foundations, should also be dissolved if they engage in constitutionally and legally reprehensible conduct."