South Korean Opposition Leader Convicted of Violating Election Law

seoul - The main opposition leader of South Korea has been sentenced to a one-year suspended prison term for violating the election law.

Prosecutors said Lee falsely claimed in December 2021 that he did not know a city official in Seongnam. That official was overseeing a controversial development project in the suburb of Seoul. Lee is suspected of corruption in the project during his former role as mayor of Seongnam. He denies all allegations and calls the lawsuits against him politically motivated.

The leader of the Democratic Party plans to appeal the verdict. If Lee is ultimately convicted of a prison sentence or a fine of at least 1 million won (about 680 euros), he will lose his seat in parliament and be disqualified from participating in elections for the next five years. The politician would then be unable to participate in the 2027 presidential elections.

Lee was considered a contender for the highest office in South Korea in the next presidential elections. His Democratic Party managed to secure a comfortable majority in the parliamentary elections in April, a significant defeat for President Yoon Suk-yeol. This has made it more difficult for Yoon to implement his plans during the remainder of his term in office.