Lee‘s judicial risk continues: Another first trial ruling for witness tampering in 10 days

[Anchor]

The trial of Representative Lee still has a long way to go.

In addition to the ruling on the public election law case that was announced today (Nov.15), there are three more cases.

In just ten days, the first trial ruling on the charge of witness tampering will be delivered.

This is Baek In-seong, a legal affairs reporter.

[Report]

Representative Lee Jae-myung was indicted in 2002 for colluding with a broadcasting station PD to impersonate a prosecutor, and was fined.

However, during the TV debate for the Gyeonggi Province governor election in 2018, Representative Lee stated that he was "framed."

[Lee Jae-myung/Gyeonggi Province Governor Candidate in 2018: "I have never impersonated a prosecutor to make a phone call. I was framed for helping because I was interviewed next to what the PD did."]

Because of this statement, Representative Lee faced trial for the charge of false facts publication and was acquitted.

However, new allegations have emerged that Representative Lee had a witness who did not remember well commit perjury during the trial process at that time.

[Kim Jin-seong & Lee Jae-myung/Dec. 24, 2018: "(Was there collusion?) It would be best if you could say there was collusion since he was actually the secretary."]

The prosecution indicted Representative Lee on the charge of "witness tampering" and sought a three-year prison sentence.

Representative Lee's side argues against the charge of witness tampering, stating that they repeated the request to "speak truthfully" twelve times, and the first trial ruling for this case will be delivered on Nov. 25.

In addition, there are two other trials related to Representative Lee that are just beginning.

These are trials regarding development corruption related to Daejang-dong and the sponsorship funds for Seongnam FC, as well as the allegations of remittances to North Korea by the Ssangbangwool Group.

Similarly, Representative Lee denies all charges in every trial.

Both trials are expected to take considerable time before the first trial ruling, and if a sentence of imprisonment is confirmed, it will be impossible for him to run in the next presidential election.

This is KBS News Baek In-seong.