‘Violation of Public Official Election Act’ Lee Eun-ju, Justice Party Lawmaker, Suspended Prison Sentence in Second Trial

Lee Eun-ju, a Justice Party lawmaker accused of violating the Public Official Election Act, was sentenced to disqualification from office again in the second trial.

Eunju Lee, Justice Party member. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 2 (Presiding Judges Lee Won-beom, Han Ki-soo, Nam Woo-hyun) sentenced Lee to 8 months in prison with a 2-year suspension on the 9th. A member of the National Assembly is disqualified from office if sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more for violating election laws.

The court found Lee guilty of illegally receiving political funds amounting to 3.12 million won from 77 union members of the Seoul Metro between September and November 2019 (violation of the Political Funds Act).

It also ruled Lee guilty of providing meals worth about 370,000 won to members of the “Subway Workers to the National Assembly” task force, which was organized to support Lee’s proportional representation election (violation of the ban on donation acts under the Public Official Election Act).

However, the court overturned the first trial’s guilty verdict regarding Lee’s alleged phone calls to party members at night to solicit support during the Justice Party’s proportional representation primary election while serving as the policy director of the Seoul Metro union from September 2019 to March 2020, ruling it not guilty.

After the sentencing, Lee met with reporters and said, “While I respect the court’s judgment, I regret the legal interpretation and application that completely disregards the purpose and reality of introducing the party primary system. This matter is currently under review by the Constitutional Court. Regarding the constitutionally guaranteed autonomous operation of political parties and the freedom of laborers’ political activities, I will seek a legal judgment from the Supreme Court.”