Resolution by the National Assembly: "Lee Jae-myung Public Official Election Act Violation Case, Second Trial Verdict Must Be Issued by February 15"

Joo Jin-woo, chairman of the People Power Party's Legal Advisory Committee, is entering the Seoul High Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 16th to submit a petition to prevent delays in the public official election law trial of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

The People Power Party urged the judiciary to conduct a swift and fair trial for Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

In a resolution adopted at a party meeting on the 16th, party members emphasized, "Lee’s crime and shield politics, which delayed his own trial and politically intimidated the investigative authorities and judiciary, have significantly contributed to the current national crisis."

They added, "The Public Official Election Act stipulates that the first trial should be completed within six months, the second trial within three months, and the third trial within three months," and stated, "Since the first trial verdict for Lee’s violation of the Public Official Election Act was delivered on November 15, the second trial verdict must be issued by February 15 next year."

The members said, "The deliberate trial delay tactics by Lee and the Democratic Party will no longer be tolerated by the public," and urged, "In this national crisis, the judiciary should not be swayed by political pressure from the major opposition party but should deliver a swift and fair judgment based on law and principles."

On the same day, the People Power Party also submitted a petition to the court, accusing Lee of deliberately delaying the appeal trial for the Public Official Election Act violation case.

The party’s legal advisory committee stated, "Lee has not appointed a lawyer and repeatedly failed to receive notices of lawsuit record submissions, thereby delaying the trial process," and requested, "The court should actively exercise its authority to direct the lawsuit to uphold the principle of a swift trial."

Lee was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation in the first trial for the Public Official Election Act violation case on the 15th of last month. If the suspended prison sentence from the first trial is confirmed by the Supreme Court, Lee will lose his seat as a member of the National Assembly and be barred from running for office for ten years, preventing him from running in the presidential election.