Jeong Dong-yeong "I also received a 700,000 won fine... Lee Jae-myung's first trial verdict is abnormal"

Jeong Dongyoung Acquitted of False Statement Charge Last Week
"Says Lee Jaemyung's First Trial Verdict Is Unusual... Expects a Reversal"

On the 26th, as the appellate trial verdict for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act is scheduled, Assemblyman Jeong Dong-young predicted, "The first trial verdict (which resulted in a suspended prison sentence for Lee) is not a normal judgment," and added, "I believe there will be a reversal." The day before, Assemblyman Jeong appeared on KBC's 'Yeouido Invitation' and said, "I also received a first trial verdict with a fine of 700,000 won for false statement publication related to election law violation, which is similar," expressing this view.

Jeong Dong-yeong, Democratic Party of Korea member. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Assemblyman Jeong was sentenced to a fine of 700,000 won in the first trial on the 19th for violating the Public Official Election Act, an amount that allows him to retain his position as a member of the National Assembly. When allegations arose that during the 22nd general election's opinion polling process he asked supporters to respond as if they were in their 20s, he held a press conference and called it "slander, bogus reports, fake news," and was indicted for false statement publication. Regarding this, the first trial court ruled, "Considering the overall circumstances, it does not appear that the defendant had awareness or intent regarding false statements at that time," and acquitted him.

However, regarding statements made using a microphone at the year-end and New Year's ceremonies of a delegated management company of an apartment complex in his constituency during a period outside the official election campaign, the court judged the pre-election campaign charge as guilty, stating, "Although there was no explicit request for votes in the general election, considering the context and meaning of the statements, it is appropriate to see them as expressions seeking support for election," and sentenced him to a fine of 700,000 won.

Assemblyman Jeong explained his first trial verdict by saying, "The court acquitted me on the false statement publication charge and recognized guilt for pre-election campaigning regarding holding the loudspeaker microphone during the speech." He added, "Looking at Lee Jae-myung's case, it was a 'simple denial,'" and argued, "Sentencing a prison term for that as false statement publication is not a normal judgment for a judge."

He said, "We follow the American system a lot, and in the U.S., there is no crime of false statement publication. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits any law restricting freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association," adding, "(The crime of false statement publication) conflicts with freedom of expression."

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 6-2 (Presiding Judges Choi Eun-jung, Lee Ye-seul, and Jeong Jae-oh) will announce the second trial verdict at 2 p.m. on the 26th for Lee's charge of false statement publication under the Public Official Election Act. The first trial court sentenced Lee to one year in prison with a two-year suspension in November last year. If the second trial also results in a prison sentence with suspension or higher, and the Supreme Court upholds it, Lee will lose his parliamentary seat and be disqualified from running for office for the next 10 years.