Lee Jae-myung sentenced to 1 year in prison, 2-year probation for election law violation

[Anchor]

Hello.

This is KBS 9 o'clock news.

The first ruling in 2 years and 2 months has come out, and it is guilty.

Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, has been sentenced to 1 year in prison with a 2-year probation for violating the Public Official Election Act.

If this ruling is confirmed, he will lose his parliamentary seat and will be unable to run for election for 10 years.

We will now focus on the details and implications of today's (Nov.15) ruling.

First, we have reporter Hyun-ye-seul.

[Report]

In September 2022, DP leader Lee Jae-myung was indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

After being tried without detention for 2 years and 2 months, the first trial court sentenced him to 1 year in prison with a 2-year probation.

The first trial court found that Lee's statement made during a broadcast in 2021 regarding the late Kim Moon-ki, who was a key figure in the Daejang-dong project, was guilty.

The court deemed the part where he stated he did not play golf with Kim during a business trip abroad as a false declaration of fact.

Additionally, Lee's statement during the National Assembly's audit in October 2021 that there was "intimidation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport" regarding the change of use for the Baekhyeon-dong site was also judged as a false declaration of fact for election purposes, and he was found guilty.

The court explained that the dissemination of false information through a major broadcasting medium, which is a matter of public interest, carries significant responsibility for the crime.

[Lee Jae-myung/DP Leader: "Today's scene will also become a part of modern Korean history. There are still two more trials left in reality, and the court of public opinion and history is eternal."]

If the first trial's ruling is confirmed by the Supreme Court, Lee will not only lose his parliamentary seat but will also be barred from running for office for 10 years, making it impossible for him to run for president.

Furthermore, the Democratic Party will have to return the election funds of 43.4 billion won that were reimbursed for the last presidential election.

This is KBS News, Hyun-ye-seul.