Lee Jae-myung's 'False Statement' First Trial Result on Public Official Election Act Expected in September

After Next Hearing Witness Examination, August Trial Expected to Conclude... Two Years Since Indictment

The trial result of Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was indicted for making false statements during the 20th presidential election process, is expected to be announced as early as September.

The Criminal Division 34 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Han Seong-jin), which is handling Lee's case of violating the Public Official Election Act, announced on the 14th that the final witness examination for this trial will be conducted on the scheduled date of the 28th. If Lee makes his final statement and the prosecution presents its sentencing recommendation during the sentencing hearing in August, the verdict, which usually comes about one month after the sentencing hearing, is likely to be announced in September. This will be two years since the indictment.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is attending a trial related to the Public Official Election Act held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the 14th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee's defense attorney also stated, "The last hearing will likely be on August 16 or 23, after the court's summer recess ends," adding, "We will be doing the final preparations."

Lee is accused of publicly announcing false information by stating in a broadcast interview on December 22, 2021, when he was the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, that he "did not know about the late Kim Moon-gi, the head of Development Division 1 at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation," during his tenure as mayor.

Additionally, during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's inspection of Gyeonggi Province on October 20, 2021, Lee is also accused of making false statements denying preferential treatment allegations regarding the change of use of the Baekhyeon-dong Korea Food Research Institute site. He claimed that he was instructed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to change the land use zoning in four stages and that he was threatened with accusations of dereliction of duty if he did not comply, which forced him to make the changes.