On March 26, 2025, the Seoul High Court in South Korea delivered its verdict on the appeal of Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea. The court overturned the initial ruling. It found Lee not guilty of violating the Public Official Election Act. This decision marks a significant turn in the case. The case has drawn considerable attention due to its political implications.
Seoul High Court’s Ruling: Lee Jae-myung Not Guilty
In its judgment, the Seoul High Court noted that Lee’s statements during his tenure as the mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, were not deemed to be false. These statements included claims such as not knowing Kim Moon-gi. Kim was the former head of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation’s first department. Lee also suggested that land-use changes in Baekhyeon-dong were made under pressure from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. The court decided these claims were not false. As a result, the court overturned the lower court’s verdict. It declared Lee Jae-myung innocent.
Lee Jae-myung’s Response: A ‘Natural’ Verdict
Upon hearing the court’s decision, Lee Jae-myung expressed his gratitude to the judges. He thanked them for making a “correct judgment based on truth and justice.” Lee remarked that the ruling was “a natural one.” He criticized the significant resources that had been wasted in pursuing the case. Lee also called on prosecutors to reflect on their actions. He urged them to cease wasting national resources. 
Prosecutors Can Appeal to the Supreme Court
Following the appeal verdict, prosecutors still have the option to escalate the case to the Supreme Court of South Korea. If the highest court upholds a conviction, Lee Jae-myung could lose his voting rights. This would effectively bar him from running in the next presidential election.
Interplay of Lee Jae-myung’s Case and President Yoon Suk-yeol’s Impeachment
At the same time, President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea is facing an ongoing impeachment trial in the Constitutional Court. If Yoon is removed from office, an early election will be held within 60 days to select a new president. Should the Supreme Court not rule on Lee Jae-myung’s case before the early election, it could clear the way for Lee to run for president. This would add a layer of complexity to the political landscape. The final outcome of Lee’s case and the impeachment trial of President Yoon are thus intertwined. They will influence the future direction of South Korean politics.
Previous Sentencing and Prosecutors’ Demands
Last November, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Lee Jae-myung to a one-year prison term. The sentence was suspended for two years. Lee was found guilty of lying during his presidential campaign and violating the Public Official Election Act. The prosecutors had requested a two-year sentence during the final hearing on February 26, 2025. They alleged that Lee falsely claimed not to know Kim Moon-gi. Kim was the head of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation. Kim had been under investigation for his role in a corruption case linked to a real estate project in Seongnam. This project had been pushed forward during Lee’s tenure as mayor. Prosecutors also accused Lee of making false statements regarding another real estate project’s land-use planning during a parliamentary review of Gyeonggi Province’s government in October 2021.
The Legal and Political Stakes
With the legal process still ongoing, the political stakes for Lee Jae-myung are high. Should the case proceed to the Supreme Court and result in a conviction, his presidential ambitions would be jeopardized. Meanwhile, the political future of President Yoon Suk-yeol remains uncertain. His impeachment trial continues, adding even more unpredictability to South Korea’s future political scenario. The intertwining of these two cases will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the country’s political direction in the coming months.
