Lee Jae-myung found guilty in first trial, facing political setback

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, was sentenced on Friday to one year in prison and two years of probation in his first trial for violating the Public Official Election Act. This sentence is equivalent to losing his seat in the National Assembly. The ruling comes two years and two months after Lee was indicted on charges of publishing false information during the 2022 presidential election. This verdict, the first of four trials Lee currently faces, significantly increases his legal risks. If the Supreme Court upholds the sentence, Lee will be disqualified from running for office for the next 10 years, effectively barring him from the next presidential election—a major blow to his political ambitions.

Additionally, the Democratic Party would be required to return 43.4 billion won in campaign funds received during the last presidential election. Lee has announced plans to appeal, stating, "It is a conclusion that is difficult to accept, starting with the basic facts." Meanwhile, the People Power Party welcomed the decision, remarking, "We respect and pay respect to the judiciary's decision that made a judgment according to the law."

The 34th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Lee to one year in prison and two years of probation on charges of false information disclosure under the Public Official Election Act. “The guilt and crime are quite serious,” the court said. “When false information is disclosed to voters during the election process, it prevents them from making informed choices, distorts public opinion, and undermines both the function of the election system and the essence of representative democracy. Therefore, the guilt cannot be considered light.”

The sentence handed down by the court falls within the ‘aggravated punishment’ range of sentencing standards used by judges when determining sentences. The court deemed the crime so serious that it warranted severe punishment. It found some of the statements related to Kim and all the statements concerning the change in the use of the Baekhyeon-dong site to be guilty.

“This scene today will also become a scene in the modern history of the Republic of Korea,” Lee said after the trial. “There are still two more courts left in reality, and the court of public sentiment and history is eternal.” The Democratic Party of Korea appeared visibly shaken by the heavier-than-expected sentence. The opposition party refrained from issuing an official statement for over an hour after the ruling, and its leadership convened an unscheduled closed-door Supreme Council meeting to deliberate on countermeasures.

People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon stated, “We will definitely uphold the will for the independence and fairness of the judiciary together with the people.” Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho held a press conference at the National Assembly immediately after the ruling, declaring, “No matter how much the massive opposition party constructs a wall of bulletproof dams, it cannot stop the river of justice.”


Ji-Hyun Kim jhk85@donga.com