Handonghun, Lee Jaemyung Directly Criticize: "If the Defendant Becomes President, Will the Trial Stop?"

Criticism of Ihwa-young's First Trial Guilty Verdict
"It's a surreal situation to make the defendant president"
"Whether to suspend the trial will become an important national issue"

Han Dong-hoon, former Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, criticized on the 8th the sentencing of Lee Hwa-young, former Deputy Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province, who was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison in the first trial the previous day, calling it "a surreal situation where the major opposition party is trying to delay the trial by any means to make the criminal defendant president."

Former Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the same day, former Chairman Han posted on his Facebook, stating, "In the case where a criminal defendant who was on trial for their own crimes becomes president, does the criminal trial get suspended?"

He explained, "Some scholars say the trial does not get suspended, while others say it does. It is a matter of interpretation whether 'prosecution' in Article 84 of the Constitution, which states 'The President shall not be subject to criminal prosecution during the term of office except in cases of rebellion or treason,' includes trial."

He added, "Until now, this has been merely an academic discussion far removed from reality, but in this surreal situation where the major opposition party is trying to delay the trial by any means to make the criminal defendant president, I think it will become an important national issue."

With Lee, a close aide of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, receiving a heavy sentence, the legal community sees a high possibility that the prosecution will intensify investigations targeting Lee Jae-myung.

In the political sphere, there is an interpretation that former Chairman Han is asserting his presence by focusing on criminal justice issues, his area of expertise, while targeting Lee Jae-myung.