Lee Jae-myung Acquitted in First Trial for Perjury Instruction: "Politics Should Save Lives"

"Thankful to the Court That Found Truth and Justice"
"The Difficulties I Face Are Minor Compared to the People's Suffering"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was acquitted in the first trial on charges of suborning perjury. He welcomed the court's decision and urged the government and ruling party to pursue politics of coexistence.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after the first trial sentencing hearing for the charge of 'subornation of perjury' held on the 25th. On this day, the first trial court acquitted Lee, who was indicted on charges of subornation of perjury. Photo by Joint Press Corps

After the first trial verdict on charges of suborning perjury at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 25th, Lee met with reporters and said, "I am grateful to the court for restoring truth and justice," adding, "The difficulties I am experiencing are like a single grain of millet in a vast ocean compared to the hardships and suffering faced by our people, even though the process is truly difficult and long."

Lee proposed politics of coexistence to the government and ruling party. He stated, "I hope politics will no longer be about killing and trampling each other, but about coexisting and moving forward together," and added, "I want to tell the government and ruling party to pursue politics that saves people rather than politics that kills."

Lee refrained from making statements ahead of the verdict. Wearing a black suit and a navy blue tie, he arrived at the Seoul Central District Court around 1:50 p.m. that day and was asked questions such as "What is your position ahead of the verdict?" and "How do you expect the guilty or not guilty judgment?" but he did not respond. On the 22nd, during the first expanded executive meeting, Lee also requested the party to refrain from emotional responses, saying, "It is not desirable to criticize the judiciary as a whole."

The 33rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Dong-hyun) acquitted Lee, who was indicted without detention on charges of suborning perjury, and sentenced Kim Jin-sung, former secretary to the late Kim Byung-ryang, former mayor of Seongnam City and the principal offender charged with suborning perjury, to a fine of 5 million won. The court explained, "At the time Lee Jae-myung spoke with Kim Jin-sung, it was not yet decided whether Kim Jin-sung would testify or what specific content he would testify to," and added, "Based solely on the evidence submitted by the prosecution, it is insufficient to find that Lee Jae-myung had the intent to instruct Kim Jin-sung to commit perjury, that is, the intent to suborn."