South Korea court clears opposition leader in election law violation case

Al Jazeera:

A South Korean appeals court has reversed a 2024 legal ruling and found main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung not guilty of violating election laws, removing a barrier that could have blocked him from running for president.

Following the verdict on Wednesday, Lee – who had been handed a one-year prison sentence in November – said the decision by the Seoul High Court completely vindicated him and proved the case was politically motivated.

“It is truly outrageous that all this energy and national resources were spent for what is an obvious outcome,” he said.

The appeals court reversed an earlier ruling that found Lee guilty of making a false claim during a 2021 parliamentary audit about a land development project in Seongnam, where he served as mayor.

If upheld, the ruling would have stripped Lee of his parliamentary seat and barred him from running in the next presidential election.

For now, opinion polls indicate he is the frontrunner to replace President Yoon Suk-yeol if the embattled leader’s impeachment is upheld.