Lee Jae-myung Refers to Nephew's Murder Case as Dating Violence... Bereaved Family's Compensation Claim Also Wins in Second Trial

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, won again in the appellate court in a damages lawsuit filed by the victim's family regarding his statement that his nephew's murder was 'dating violence.'

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The 10-3 Civil Appeals Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judges Lee Sang-ah, Song Young-hwan, Kim Dong-hyun) ruled on the 12th to dismiss the appeal filed by the victim's family member A against Lee in the damages claim lawsuit, upholding the first trial's decision.

Previously, in November 2021, Lee claimed on his social media service (SNS) that "One of my relatives committed a serious crime of dating violence in the past, but since the family could not afford to hire a lawyer, I had no choice but to take on the defense."

In response, the victim's family member A filed a damages lawsuit against Lee, claiming 100 million won, stating that "Lee described the heinous and inhumane crime of a family serial murder committed by his nephew as 'dating violence,' thereby stating false facts."

The first trial court dismissed the family's claim. At that time, the court stated, "The term 'dating violence' is used to classify the type of crime based on the relationship characteristics between the perpetrator and the victim," and ruled that "it is difficult to see that the statement distorted or minimized the harm caused by the nephew's crime or unjustly infringed on the victims' mourning emotions," thus ruling against the plaintiff.

Meanwhile, Lee's nephew, Kim, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court after killing his girlfriend and her mother with a weapon in April 2006 when the girlfriend notified him of their breakup.