Attention on the 'Baekhyeon-dong Case' with Evidence and Testimonies
Tension Rises as Court Prepares for Emergency Situations Inside and Outside
The political sphere is on high alert ahead of the first trial verdict regarding Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. The sentencing hearing, scheduled for 2:30 PM on the 15th at the Seoul Central District Court, is expected to be a turning point that will determine Lee's political fate. Lee is currently facing four trials in total?three in Seoul and one in Suwon?with this Public Official Election Act violation case being the first to be prosecuted.
Two Key Issues
The trial centers on two main issues. First, whether Lee's statement that he "did not know" Kim Moon-gi, former Head of Development Division 1 at Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, constitutes false information disclosure. Second, whether Lee's claim that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) threatened him regarding the land-use change in Baekhyeon-dong is factually incorrect.
The prosecution argues that despite Lee having played golf with former Director Kim Moon-gi, his statement of "not knowing him" was an intentional lie aimed at severing ties related to the Daejang-dong corruption allegations. They particularly emphasize that this statement was made shortly after Kim Moon-gi's extreme choice (suicide).
In response, Lee's side counters that "there are hundreds of team leaders alone at Seongnam City Hall," and "moreover, Kim Moon-gi was an employee of an affiliated organization, not Seongnam City Hall." At the sentencing hearing on September 20, Lee also argued, "Since employees wear name tags, it is impossible to recognize everyone," and "it is impossible to remember employees of affiliated organizations."
Former Director Yoo Dong-gyu's 'Revealing Testimony'
Testimony that could decisively influence the case's outcome has also emerged. Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, testified in court, "Contrary to media reports, we used two-person golf carts at the time," adding, "I rode alone, and former Director Kim Moon-gi drove to assist Mayor Lee Jae-myung." He further stated, "It is unreasonable to claim not to remember after riding together for several hours," directly contradicting Lee's claim.
On the other hand, Lee argued, "I played golf with Yoo Dong-gyu, but Yoo rode alone in the cart, and it is illogical that Kim Moon-gi, an affiliated organization employee, accompanied me." The testimonies from both sides are in direct conflict.
The 'Baekhyeon-dong Land-Use Change' Case Is More Dangerous
Legal circles view the Baekhyeon-dong land-use change charge as more disadvantageous to Lee among the two allegations. Whether Lee knew Kim Moon-gi is a matter of subjective perception and thus difficult to prove. In contrast, the Baekhyeon-dong case has objective evidence and multiple testimonies.
According to evidence secured by the prosecution, MOLIT officially responded that land-use changes fall under local government authority, and testimony from a Seongnam City official confirms that this was directly reported to Lee. Additionally, statements from MOLIT and Food Research Institute officials support this.
Notably, Lee's pledge during the Seongnam mayoral election not to permit residential development, followed by raising the natural green zone to a quasi-residential area by four levels, has intensified suspicions. The prosecution believes Lee changed the land use following a request from broker Kim In-seop, a former head of Lee's election campaign headquarters.
Significant Political Impact if Guilty
The prosecution has requested a two-year prison sentence for Lee. If a sentence involving a fine of 1 million KRW or more is confirmed, Lee will be barred from running for office for five years. This means Lee's potential candidacy in the 2027 presidential election would be impossible. Furthermore, the Democratic Party would have to return approximately 43.4 billion KRW in election expenses reimbursed by the National Election Commission during the last presidential election.
Legal experts believe that if a guilty verdict is handed down, the likelihood of a fine under 1 million KRW is low. This is because false information disclosure under the Public Official Election Act is considered a serious crime that can directly affect election outcomes.
Heightened Tension Inside and Outside the Court
Meanwhile, the court has moved the sentencing hearing from a small courtroom to a larger one that can accommodate dozens of spectators. Thirty-six seats will be allocated to the public, with applications accepted from the 11th to the 12th and a random draw held on the 13th to select attendees. The court has also specially organized a security team to separate the movements of Lee and general spectators and has requested external security cooperation from the police.
Three trials involving Lee Jae-myung are scheduled this month alone. On the 14th, the sentencing for his wife Kim Hye-kyung's Public Official Election Act violation case will take place, followed by Lee's own Public Official Election Act violation case on the 15th, and a perjury coaching trial on the 25th. The political world is closely watching, anticipating significant shifts in the political landscape depending on the verdict on the 15th. Both ruling and opposition parties are already preparing rallies with supporters around the Seocho-dong court area and are expected to respond immediately based on the ruling outcome.
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