The opposition's most prominent presidential candidate was acquitted.

South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party (DP) chairman Lee Jae-myung has been acquitted in an appeals court on charges of violating election laws.

Chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party in South Korea Lee Jae-myung.

The Seoul Supreme Court's ruling on March 26 overturned the previous first instance ruling.

In November 2024, the Court of First Instance sentenced Lee Jae-myung to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for publishing false information in violation of the Election Law. However, this time, the Appeals Court found that both of Lee's statements that the Procuracy cited in the indictment did not constitute acts of disseminating false information under the Election Law.

Lee Jae-myung served as Mayor of Seongnam from 2010-2018, a period marked by major urban development projects, including controversial construction projects in Daejang and Baekhyeon wards.

The case centers on Lee's statement that he did not know Kim Moon-ki, former head of Seongnam Development Corporation, while running for president in 2021, and his claim that the land use change involving the Korea Food Research Institute in Baekhyeon-dong while he was mayor of Seongnam was made under pressure from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The Supreme Court's ruling comes at a politically sensitive time as Lee Jae-myung is seen as the opposition's most likely presidential candidate if the Constitutional Court of South Korea rules in favor of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/han-quoc-candidate-president-is-the-most-bright-of-the-opposition-group-duoc-tuyen-trang-an-308988.html