Democratic Lawmakers in 'Mental Breakdown' Over Lee's Suspended Prison Sentence: "How Should We Accept This?"

On the 15th, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspended sentence in the first trial for violating the Public Official Election Act. Fellow lawmakers expressed anger toward the judiciary, calling it a "clear political oppression." Some lawmakers revealed their troubled feelings about the trial outcome while contemplating future responses.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 34 (Chief Judge Han Seong-jin) sentenced Lee to one year in prison with a two-year suspended sentence. The court stated, "The guilt and crime are quite serious," adding, "While freedom of expression must be recognized during the election process, it is also necessary to consider that the dissemination of false information distorts the public will."

Jeong Cheong-rae, chairman of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, wrote on his SNS, "On the way to the court, I received angry bad news and turned the car around," adding, "Sometimes it feels like history is moving backward, but the history of truth has always advanced step by step. We will ultimately win!" Later, he added, "I can't believe it. The people's will is the will of heaven, so are they not afraid of heaven? We will not give up. We will ultimately win."

Kim Byung-gi, deputy head of the party's 'Myeong Tae-gyun Gate Truth Investigation Team,' condemned the ruling as "clear political oppression and an attempt to kill the opposition using the judiciary," calling it "the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's atrocity, which is obsessed only with suppressing the opposition while ignoring the people's livelihood." He added, "We will not be intimidated. We will unite even more through this ruling to stop the administration's reckless actions and protect democracy."

Lee Soo-jin briefly stated, "The judiciary of the Republic of Korea is dead," while Kim Yong-min expressed regret over the "absurd trial result," explaining, "The prosecution fabricated statements that Lee Jae-myung did not make by piecing them together, and when that failed, they even changed the indictment. However, the court accepted the prosecution's claims."

Lawmaker Kang Seon-woo also said, "I stand at the sharp edge of a frozen blade. It is devastating, and I have no words to say," emphasizing, "We will reclaim the democracy stolen by the Kim Geon-hee administration, which has disguised indefinite and unlimited prosecutorial power as legal weapons."

They also stressed the importance of responses for the remaining trials. Park Ji-won said, "This is the result of the first trial. The judiciary is a three-tier system under the constitution. We must remain composed," adding, "Even Trump became president after the Supreme Court's final ruling. Like yesterday and today, we will fiercely devote ourselves tomorrow as well to the Kim Geon-hee special investigation, democracy, the people's livelihood economy, and improving inter-Korean relations."

Lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu expressed his troubled feelings, saying, "Lee Jae-myung, one year in prison with a two-year suspended sentence. How should we accept this..." He added, "I still believe in history and citizens. Tomorrow (the 16th) is the '3rd National Action Day to Condemn Kim Geon-hee and Yoon Seok-yeol's State Corruption and Demand a Special Investigation.' I ask more democratic citizens to join."