Lee Jae-myung Overturns Original Verdict in Second Trial: "Statements Related to Kim Moon-gi Are Not False Public Statements"

The court ruled in the second trial of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act that his statement denying playing golf with Kim Moon-gi, the first director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, cannot be considered as spreading false information. In the first trial, the statement was judged to be guilty.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the second trial sentencing hearing on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 26th. 2025.3.26 Photo by Joint Press Corps

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 6-2 (Presiding Judges Choi Eun-jung, Lee Ye-seul, Jeong Jae-oh) held the second trial sentencing for Lee's violation of the Public Official Election Act and stated, "Lee's denial of socializing with Director Kim cannot be interpreted as a statement about the act itself," adding, "Therefore, the statement cannot be punished as spreading false information."

They also said, "Lee's statement is not interpreted as a lie claiming that he did not play golf," and "There is no mention related to golf in Lee's statement."

The court also said that the 'golf photo' of Lee and Director Kim, released by the People Power Party, "appears to be manipulated." The court judged, "The original photo was taken with 10 people posing together, so it cannot be considered as evidence supporting that golf was played, and showing only part of the original photo means it can be seen as manipulated."

Lee was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation, a penalty that includes disqualification from candidacy, in the first trial on November 15 last year. In the first trial, only the statements 'did not play golf with Kim Moon-gi' and 'there was coercion from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport regarding the change of use of the Baekhyeon-dong site' were judged guilty. Statements such as 'did not know Kim Moon-gi during his time as mayor of Seongnam' were judged not guilty. In the second trial, whether Lee's statements were false and whether he intentionally spread them remained the main issues.

If Lee receives a guilty verdict with a fine of 1 million won or more in the second trial and this sentence is upheld by the Supreme Court, he will be unable to run in the next presidential election. If he receives a fine less than 1 million won or is acquitted, there will be no impact on his candidacy, and it could strengthen his position.