Seoul: The Supreme Court on Thursday overturned 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 reversed the Seoul High Court's March verdict, which had acquitted Lee of making false statements as a presidential candidate during the 2022 election campaign.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Supreme Court's ruling arrives approximately one month before the country is set to hold the June 3 presidential election. The case has garnered significant attention due to concerns that the top court's decision could impact Lee Jae-myung's eligibility to run for office.
Individuals who receive a fine of 1 million won (US$700) or more for violating election law are barred from running for office for five years.