DP leader Lee Jae-myung's first trial verdict set for tomorrow

[Anchor]

Hello.

This is KBS 9 o'clock news.

The first trial verdict for Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, is set for tomorrow (Nov.15).

The area around the Seoul Central District Court is expected to be quite crowded tomorrow.

Our reporter Kim Beom-joo is currently at the Seoul Central District Court.

Kim! It has been 799 days, or 2 years and 2 months, and the verdict will be finally announced.

There are rallies planned for and against him, and there are concerns about possible incidents.

[Reporter]

Yes, as night falls, there is a sense of stillness around the Seoul Central District Court.

However, the atmosphere is expected to change dramatically tomorrow.

Ahead of the first trial verdict for Representative Lee Jae-myung tomorrow afternoon, a rally with thousands of participants will be held around the court.

Supporters and opponents of Mr. Lee will hold separate rallies, and based on the pre-registered information, about 13 groups with around 4,000 participants are expected.

To maintain security and safety, the court has decided to close some entrances and prohibit the entry of private vehicles tomorrow.

Additionally, security personnel will be increased and deployed around the court and courtroom.

Judges will also be provided with security personnel for their commutes to ensure their safety.

[Anchor]

The prosecution has requested a 2-year prison sentence, right?

I’m also curious about the specific charges and the potential impact of the verdict.

[Reporter]

Yes, it is alleged that Mr. Lee violated the Public Official Election Act by making false statements during the last presidential election period.

He claimed not to know the late Kim Moon-ki, the former head of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, who died while under investigation related to the Daejang-dong case, and stated that there were threats from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport regarding the Baekhyeon-dong development. However, the prosecution claimed these statements were false.

The prosecution has requested a 2-year prison sentence, and if Mr. Lee receives a sentence of more than 1 million won, or about 750 US dollars, in fines and it is confirmed by the Supreme Court, he will not only lose his parliamentary seat but also be deprived of the right to run for office for 5 years, making him ineligible for the next presidential election.

Mr. Lee argues that the prosecution has distorted his statements by piecing them together.

If he is acquitted or receives a fine of less than 1 million won tomorrow, the judicial risk for him may be alleviated to some extent.

However, Mr. Lee also faces a first trial verdict for the charge of perjury on Nov. 25, so there are many challenges ahead.

This has been Kim Beom-joo from the Seoul Central District Court for KBS News.