Lee Jae-myung Public Official Election Act Trial to be Decided in September... Verdict Expected Around October

First Trial Verdict in Prosecution Case

The trial procedure for former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who was indicted for making false statements during the 20th presidential election, will conclude in September. This is the first time that a first trial has ended among the cases in which Lee was indicted.

The Criminal Division 34 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Han Seo-jin), which is hearing the case of Lee’s violation of the Public Official Election Act, announced on the 28th, "We will conclude the arguments on September 6."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The court plans to conduct documentary evidence examination on August 12, followed by direct questioning of Lee on August 23. Then, at the final trial on September 6, the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation and closing statements are expected to proceed.

Considering that it usually takes about a month from the final trial to sentencing, the sentencing trial is likely to be held around October.

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

Additionally, he is also accused of publicly announcing false facts during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee’s Gyeonggi Province audit on October 20, 2021, denying allegations of preferential treatment in changing the land use of the Baekhyeon-dong Korea Food Research Institute site, claiming that he "received instructions from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to change the land use zone in four stages, and was threatened with being charged with dereliction of duty if he did not comply, so he had no choice but to make the change."