An appeals court in South Korea has overturned a previous conviction against opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, reversing a ruling that found him guilty of violating election laws. This decision opens the door for Lee to potentially run for president in future elections.
On Wednesday, following the ruling by the Seoul High Court, Lee stated that the court’s decision proved the case was politically motivated and fully vindicated him.
Last year, the Seoul Central District Court found Lee, the leader of the Democratic Party, guilty of making false claims regarding a land development project during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam in 2021. He was sentenced to a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, a ruling that would have jeopardised his candidacy in the next presidential election had it been upheld.
The appeals court dismissed the previous ruling that found Lee guilty of making false claims during a parliamentary audit. “I am grateful to the court for making a sound judgment based on truth and justice,” Lee told supporters outside the courthouse, criticising the government for “wasting public resources” on what he described as a politically motivated prosecution. He expressed his discontent, saying, “It is truly outrageous that all this energy and national resources were spent for what is an obvious outcome.”
Looking ahead, if the Constitutional Court upholds the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol for his brief declaration of martial law in December, South Korea could face a snap presidential election within 60 days.
Lee, aged 61, previously contended against President Yoon in the 2022 election, narrowly losing by the smallest margin in the country’s history. Last year, he survived a knife attack, requiring surgery after being stabbed in the neck during an event.
The election violation case has attracted considerable attention, particularly as Lee is seen as a leading contender to succeed Yoon if the President’s impeachment is confirmed. In addition to this recent case, Lee faces multiple other trials related to charges including bribery and involvement in a $1 billion property development scandal.
Source : DW
