"Right to Legal Representation for All" vs "Is He a Human Rights Lawyer?" Lee Jae-myung's Nephew Murder Defense Sparks Debate

Lee Jae-myung, Who Emphasized Being a 'Human Rights Lawyer'... Controversy Arises Over Defending Nephew Who Committed Heinous Crime

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate who has emphasized his career as a "human rights lawyer," is facing controversy after it was revealed that he once defended a murder case involving his nephew. Photo by Lee, candidate's Twitter capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea and a former human rights lawyer, has apologized for defending his nephew who committed murder in the past. However, controversy is growing due to the extremely brutal nature of the crime committed by his nephew and the fact that it falls under the recent social issue of 'dating violence.'

On the 24th, Lee posted on his Facebook confessing that he had once taken on the defense of his nephew who committed dating violence. Lee said, "One of my relatives committed a serious crime of dating violence in the past, and since the family could not afford to hire a lawyer, I, being the only lawyer in the family, had no choice but to take on the defense." He added, "I hesitated a lot since I was already a politician, but it was not easy to avoid it."

He continued, "I offer my deepest condolences and apologies to the victims and their bereaved families," and promised to devise special measures considering the harmful impact of dating violence on society.

Previously, Lee’s nephew, Kim (surname withheld), stabbed his ex-girlfriend 19 times and her mother 18 times with a weapon in May 2006, after the ex-girlfriend had informed him of their breakup. The ex-girlfriend’s father suffered serious injuries after jumping from the 5th floor of an apartment to avoid the knife attack.

Lee handled the first and second trial defenses of this case, arguing for a reduced sentence on the grounds of "diminished capacity due to impaired impulse control." However, the court did not accept this, and Kim’s life sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court in February 2007.

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate Photo by Yonhap News

The issue lies in the fact that Lee, who has promoted himself as a 'human rights lawyer,' defended a brutal case where the victims were stabbed a total of 37 times. Particularly, Lee argued for a reduced sentence due to diminished mental capacity in his nephew’s case, while in 2018, he expressed anger over sentence reductions due to mental illness in the 'Gangseo PC Bang murder case,' leading to criticism that his actions are self-contradictory.

A 20-something office worker, Mr. A, said, "Lee Jae-myung has emphasized that as a human rights lawyer, he would stand on the side of the socially vulnerable, but defending his nephew who committed a heinous crime is incomprehensible. Especially since it involved stabbing two people dozens of times to death. It’s hard to see this as a case handled by a human rights lawyer."

Mr. A added, "Lee said his nephew committed dating violence, but in fact, wasn’t it a premeditated murder with a weapon prepared in advance? Honestly, it makes me hesitant to support him as president."

On the other hand, there are claims that Lee’s defense is not problematic because everyone has the 'right to legal counsel.' Netizen Mr. B said, "Even criminals have the right to be defended. That’s the constitution. It’s true that Lee’s nephew’s crime was heinous, but as a lawyer, Lee Jae-myung was just fulfilling his role."

Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the party strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 26th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Criticism has also come from the opposition. Jeon Ju-hye, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, released a statement on the 26th saying, "The case Lee defended is by no means a simple dating violence case. How can someone who defended a heinous murder crime by claiming diminished impulse control or mental incapacity understand the victim’s position? This shows a serious lack of basic awareness and empathy for the vulnerable that a national leader should have."

Meanwhile, on the 26th, Lee posted on his Facebook, "I have only now belatedly seen the interview articles of the victims’ families," and said, "There is absolutely no intention to conceal the case by calling it dating violence." He added, "I apologize for causing pain with immature expressions. Preventing such harm from happening again is what I must do."

Previously, Mr. A, a victim who lost his wife and daughter in this case, said in an interview with a media outlet, "Calling a murder that destroyed a family 'dating violence' is shameless. We have to live in pain for the rest of our lives, and now they are shamelessly bringing up old matters as if to show them off."