Opposition leader Lee lashes out at gov't, calls for talks with Yoon

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung lashed out at the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday for what he called an attempt to "annihilate" the opposition party amid a prosecution investigation into bribery allegations involving him.

Lee, chair of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), also renewed his calls for one-on-one talks with Yoon as he held his first official press conference, just two days after he was questioned by prosecutors over the bribery allegations.

"I hope for a halt to the scheme to annihilate the opposition party," Lee said. "So far, the government has been bent on destroying the opposition party and killing a political enemy while talking about cooperative governance."

Lee said his offer of talks with Yoon still stands.

"I have already proposed talks with the president many times. The proposal is still valid now," he said.

On pending issues, like the economy and security, Lee claimed what he called the "Korea risk" is escalating amid tough economic circumstances and security issues spurred by the recent infiltration of North Korean drones in Seoul.

"The economy has entered what seems to be an endless tunnel of hardship," he said. "The president's risky bomb of words to cover up his incompetence in handling security has only amplified people's concerns and market confusion."

mlee@yna.co.kr
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