Seoul, May 1 (IANS) South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a lower court’s acquittal of Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on charges of election law violation, sending the case back to the appeals court.
In a televised decision, the top court overturned the Seoul High Court’s verdict last month, which acquitted Lee of lying as a presidential candidate during the 2022 election campaign.
The Supreme Court’s ruling came about a month before the country will hold the June 3 presidential election. The case has drawn intense attention due to the possibility that the top court’s decision could affect his eligibility to run for office.
Those who receive a fine of 1 million won ($700) or more for violating the election law are restricted from running for office for five years, Yonhap news agency reported.
Earlier on April 30, the South Korean Democratic Party (DP) launched an election committee that aims to woo both liberal and conservative voters, with the presidential election just 34 days away.
In an effort to expand his appeal beyond the party’s traditional liberal base, DP presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has brought together political figures from across the ideological spectrum to court moderate and swing voters.
Lee is leading opinion polls by wide margins in the race for the June 3 election, which will determine the successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over a failed martial law bid.
During the launching ceremony, Lee pledged to end controversies surrounding Yoon’s martial law decree, restore democracy, revitalise the economy and bring unity to the nation if he is elected President.
“The upcoming election is not merely a contest between political parties,” Lee said in his speech. “It is a confrontation between the future and the past, between progress and regression, and between hope and despair.”
South Korean former Environment Minister Yoon Yeo-joon, a renowned strategist from the conservative camp, and DP floor leader Park Chan-dae were appointed as standing co-chairs of the election committee, Yonhap news agency reported.
Also joining the campaign leadership are former Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil, former Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong, former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, and former South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyung-soo.
–IANS
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