Seoul High Court Postpones Trial Until After Presidential Election... Lee Jae Myung Says "Court Made a Reasonable Decision"

Lee Jae Myung Welcomes Seoul High Court's Decision to Postpone Trial
"Judicial Independence Is a Core Value Supporting the Democratic Republic"
Cultural Industry Expected to Become One of the Three Pillars of the Future Economy

Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, stated on the 7th regarding the Seoul High Court's decision to postpone his retrial for violating the Public Official Election Act until after the presidential election, "I believe the court has made a reasonable decision that it was naturally obliged to make in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution."

Lee made these remarks while meeting with reporters in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, on the same day, saying, "This is a time when the sovereignty of the people is being realized."

He said, "The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic, and all power comes from the people," adding, "Because this is an important period when the people are practically exercising their sovereignty, it is very important to ensure that nothing interferes with the exercise of their sovereignty." He expressed the view that postponing trials during the presidential election period is consistent with the spirit of the Constitution.

On the 7th, Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, passed by a supporter holding a sign welcoming the postponement of the trial in the square in front of Pungnammun Gate in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, during his "Listening Tour in Every Alley: National Land Traverse Edition." On that day, the Seoul High Court postponed the first trial of Lee's retrial for charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, originally scheduled for the 15th, to June 18. Yonhap News.

Earlier, the Seoul High Court postponed the retrial for charges of violating the Public Official Election Act to June 18, after the presidential election. The court immediately accepted Lee's request to change the trial date, which was submitted that morning. The Criminal Division 7 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jae Kwon) stated, "We changed the trial date to after the presidential election to guarantee the defendant, who is a presidential candidate, an equal opportunity for election campaigning and to avoid any controversy over the fairness of the trial," and added, "The court has maintained and will continue to maintain a stance of conducting trials independently and fairly, solely in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without any influence or interference from inside or outside the court." Initially, the court had assigned the case on the 2nd and scheduled the first trial for 2 p.m. on the 15th.

There was also mention of the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which stipulates that "if the defendant is elected president, the court must suspend the trial proceedings by decision from the day of election until the end of the term," which passed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's subcommittee for bill review solely by the Democratic Party. Lee commented, "Everything should proceed according to common sense and constitutional principles." When asked about his stance on ongoing trials in the event of being elected president, he replied, "When the time comes, we will make a decision then," and added, "As I have said, we should make decisions based on law, common sense, and the rationality of the people."

Lee also took a cautious stance while emphasizing 'judicial independence' regarding the impeachment discussions of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee Dae that have emerged within his party. Previously, contrary to the general expectation that the Supreme Court would not reach a conclusion before the presidential election, it returned Lee's Public Official Election Act violation case to the High Court through a retrial decision. This led to criticism that the Supreme Court had intervened in politics, and within the Democratic Party, there were calls for impeachment and accountability for Chief Justice Cho. When asked about these developments, Lee reiterated the importance of judicial independence but also expressed partial agreement with the need to raise such issues.

He said, "The separation of powers and judicial independence are extremely important values that support a democratic republic," adding, "They must never be undermined." He also said, "Everyone must work to protect the independence of the judiciary," and "I fundamentally trust the judiciary." However, Lee added, "Not all members are homogeneous. It is essential to be vigilant to protect judicial independence and to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future." He further stated, "What measures are necessary should be determined through the sound common sense of the people and through vigorous debate among the members." Nonetheless, regarding judicial independence, he emphasized, "It must be protected," and added, "We often call the judiciary the last bastion of human rights and democracy. I hope everyone will reflect on the meaning of the word 'bastion.'"

Meanwhile, regarding the cultural sector, Lee stated, "I expect that advanced technology industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), our future energy transition in response to the climate crisis, and the cultural industry will become the three main pillars going forward."