Lee Jae-myung, Fate of 2nd Trial Verdict... "Guilty Confirmed" vs "Confident of Innocence"

Lee Yongwoo: "Many Points in the First Trial Judgment Are Hard to Accept"
Yoon Sanghyun: "Lee's Witnesses Testified There Was No Coercion"

On the 26th, the ruling and opposition parties engaged in a final public opinion battle ahead of the second trial verdict on Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, regarding his violation of the Public Official Election Act. Previously, the first trial court sentenced Lee to one year in prison with a two-year probation at the end of last year.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Yong-woo said in a radio interview that day, "There are many points in the first trial court's judgment that are difficult to accept. I expect a not guilty verdict," adding, "The second trial court repeatedly asked the prosecution, 'What exactly is the false fact?' and 'Please specify properly.'

He also argued that there are doubts about the prosecution's indictment itself. Democratic Party spokesperson Han Min-soo stated, "Lee's claim that 'there was coercion from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport' was made during a parliamentary audit, and if it were perjury, it would have been reported as such, but no one among the lawmakers at the time filed a complaint," adding, "The prosecution investigated and indicted on this point. I believe the starting point itself was wrong." Earlier, in October 2021, Lee explained during a parliamentary audit that the change in the use of the Baekhyeon-dong Food Research Institute site was due to coercion from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Kyun-taek also said, "(The prosecution's indictment) was a devil's editing indictment, and the guilty verdict was based on that," raising his voice, "Lee did not lie, and the very effort to distinguish whether it is truth or lie is logically wrong."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the first trial hearing of the Wirye, Daejang-dong, Baekhyeon-dong, and Seongnam FC cases held at the Seoul Central District Court on the 25th. 2025.3.25 Photo by Jo Yong-jun

On the other hand, the ruling party was confident in Lee's guilt. People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun posted on his social media that day, "The second trial result for Lee is a confirmed guilty verdict, and the restriction on his eligibility for election is certain." Yoon explained, "Lee's side called two witnesses to court in the second trial to prove the most important point, 'there was coercion from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport,' including the former head of policy planning of Seongnam City and the former head of the relocation team of the Korea Food Research Institute," adding, "However, both testified that there was no coercion from the Ministry."

People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won also criticized at a press conference in front of the Constitutional Court the day before, saying, "It is clear that Lee intentionally told false facts in the Baekhyeon-dong case and the Kim Moon-gi case," and added, "The 26th will be the day of Lee's death sentence." Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon also supported the guilty verdict, saying, "Justice must be realized. Many people will watch the process of justice being fulfilled."

Regarding Lee's sentencing, there is also interest in whether power will shift to the Democratic Party's anti-Lee (non-Lee Jae-myung) faction and the new "Three Kims" (Kim Dong-yeon, Kim Boo-kyum, Kim Kyung-soo), who are potential presidential candidates. Former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in said in a CBS radio interview that day, "Lee almost controls the Democratic Party, so even if there is a Plan B, it will inevitably be someone supported by Lee," adding, "I think if Plan B emerges, former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum or Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon will be the most advantageous. There could be a mood that 'an economic president must emerge.'"