DP refutes court's ruling, calls verdict a “political ruling”

[Anchor]

The Democratic Party, which expected an acquittal, strongly protested the unexpected outcome.

The Democratic Party stated that this was "a political ruling that in response to the Yoon Suk Yeol regime's elimination of political opponents" and refuted the reasons for the court's ruling point by point.

Reporter Min Jeong-hee has the details.

[Report]

The Democratic Party convened an emergency Supreme Committee meeting two hours after the verdict was announced.

They criticized the court, calling it "a clear political ruling" and that it is a response to the prosecution's initiation of the Yoon Suk Yeol regime's attempts to eliminate presidential candidates and political opponents.

[Cho Seung-rae/Democratic Party Spokesperson: "The prosecutor fabricated and distorted statements that Representative Lee Jae-myung did not even make, and since the court ruled without critical examination, it cannot be considered a proper ruling."]

They also countered the reasons for the court's ruling.

Regarding the golf photo with the late Kim Moon-ki released by the People Power Party, they argued that it was wrong for the court to interpret Representative Lee Jae-myung's statement that it was "fabricated" as meaning he "did not play golf."

[Park Kyun-taek/Democratic Party Member: "They interpreted it as having published false facts by recalling the meaning of the statement, so we cannot agree with that part..."]

Concerning the change of land-use for the Baekhyeon-dong site, the court concluded that there was no coercion from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and that Representative Lee reviewed and changed it on his own, but they countered that the law stipulates an obligation to cooperate with the government.

[Park Kyun-taek/Democratic Party Member: "Four laws clearly stipulate that there is an obligation to cooperate with requests from the central government. How can one say that there is 'no obligation'?"]

There were also heated reactions from party members, describing it as "the Yoon Suk Yeol regime's atrocities fixated on oppressing the opposition" and that "this will be a signal for judicial reform."

Meanwhile, a large gathering of the opposition parties and pro-opposition civic groups is expected for the third outdoor rally demanding the acceptance of the special investigation into First Lady Kim, which will be held in the Gwanghwamun area tomorrow (Nov. 16).

This is KBS News Min Jeong-hee.