Deceased former aide said to have urged Lee to leave politics in suicide note

• Published date: 10 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

A former chief of staff to opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who was found dead in an apparent suicide, urged the Democratic Party (DP) chair to quit politics in his suicide note, informed officials said Friday.

The deceased, surnamed Jeon, is also said to have complained about being investigated by prosecutors in connection with Lee's corruption allegations.

Jeon had served as Lee's chief secretary during his term as the mayor of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, before becoming his first chief of staff after Lee was elected governor of Gyeonggi Province in mid-2018.

Jeon was found dead at his home in Seongnam at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, and police said they have yet to find any sign of foul play in his death.

According to the officials, a six-page suicide note apparently written by Jeon was found on the scene. Jeon reportedly said in the note that he only worked hard but felt wronged after becoming a target of the prosecution's investigation.

Jeon was also quoted as telling Lee to leave politics, saying there should be no more sacrifices.

Jeon's family has refused to disclose the note, reportedly saying that he was stressed out as his name was mentioned in recent media reports on Lee's corruption allegations.

Indeed, Jeon was mentioned during a Jan. 31 court trial on former Gyeonggi Vice Gov. Lee Hwa-young, who is suspected of having received bribes from underwear maker Ssangbangwool Group and being involved in former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Seong-tae's foreign currency transfers to North Korea.

A former Ssangbangwool executive said as a witness during the trial at the Suwon District Court that in May 2019, the then Gyeonggi governor's chief of...