Kang Kum Sil Criticizes Lee Jae Myung's Trial Procedures as Excessively Strange... Raises Doubts of Direct Ruling

"Verdict Delivered in Just 9 Days... Supreme Court Precedent Broken"

Kang Kum Sil, the chief election campaign chair of the Central Election Countermeasures Committee for Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, strongly criticized the Supreme Court's decision to remand Lee's Public Official Election Act violation case with a guilty verdict, calling it "an excessively strange and rapid procedure."

Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate accused of breach of trust in the Daejangdong case and bribery involving Seongnam FC, is attending a trial held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 29th. Photo by Kang Jin Hyung

On May 6, during an appearance on CBS Radio's "Park Jae Hong's Hanpan Seungbu," Chair Kang stated, "The Supreme Court remanded the case, and the very next day, the High Court set the trial date and assigned the case," emphasizing, "We need to separately consider two issues: whether this series of procedural steps was appropriate, and whether it is proper to hold a trial during the presidential election period."

She continued, "Even outside of elections, the most important principle in criminal proceedings is the presumption of innocence," adding, "When there is doubt, the benefit goes to the defendant. In Lee's case, he was acquitted in the original trial, but now there is an uproar because a verdict was delivered in just nine days."

Chair Kang also commented on the trial procedures, saying, "There are internal regulations and policies for operating the Supreme Court to maintain general practice and legal stability," and explained, "When a case is assigned to four Supreme Court justices, the panel reviews it, and for significant matters, they refer it to the full bench. Once a case is designated for the full bench, the deliberation date is supposed to be set at least ten days later, but in Lee's case, this entire process was bypassed."

She further noted, "In this case, the appellate court (the second instance) acquitted him, but the Chief Justice referred it ex officio within two hours, and a verdict was delivered in less than ten days," adding, "Moreover, why was it broadcast live? At one point, I even wondered if the Supreme Court would directly rule on the case instead of remanding it. This is why we cannot help but lose trust in this trial." Direct ruling by the Supreme Court refers to a situation where the Supreme Court overturns the lower court's decision and issues its own verdict without sending the case back.

Regarding the situation inside and outside the Democratic Party after the remand, she said, "The Democratic Party is now in a position where it cannot even campaign," and added, "There is a strong sense of anxiety that the candidate's position is in jeopardy."

As for the background to her joining Lee's campaign, she explained, "It's not that I have a deep connection or close relationship with Lee," and added, "Rather than a strong desire to participate directly in the election, I felt that, as a citizen, I had to do something. I was earnestly hoping that this turmoil would end somehow and that the country would return to normal."