Key points of Representative Lee Jae-myung's upcoming sentencing for witness tampering allegations

[Anchor]

The verdict for 'witness tampering allegations' against Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who who was sentenced to probation for violating election laws on the 15th, will be announced on the 25th.

Previously, the prosecution sought a three-year prison sentence, and Representative Lee claimed his innocence.

Reporter Lee Ho-joon has summarized the key issues.

[Report]

At the end of 2018, Representative Lee Jae-myung was the governor of Gyeonggi-do Province.

He was under trial for election law violations due to past remarks related to 'impersonating a prosecutor'.

At that time, Representative Lee held four phone calls with Kim Jin-sung, a former secretary to the mayor of Seongnam, stating that there was a conspiracy to frame him as the main culprit in the 'impersonating a prosecutor' incident, requested his testimony.

[Kim Jin-sung - Representative Lee Jae-myung/Dec. 22, 2018: "(With what intent should I do the thing...) I will send you a defense brief to clarify what you need to say."]

[Representative Lee Jae-myung - Kim Jin-sung/Dec. 24, 2018: "This is not about reconstructing the incident at that time. (I had left early for the election. I don't know who is internally connected with KBS.) Just say that's what you heard."]

In court, Kim testified favorably for Representative Lee, and the prosecution views that the Supreme Court confirmed Lee's innocence in 2020.

In September, the prosecution requested the court to impose a three-year prison sentence on Representative Lee, stating, "The crime of being acquitted in court from perjury is serious."

Kim, who was indicted alongside Lee, also admitted to his perjury charges.

On the other hand, Representative Lee countered that the prosecution only included unfavorable information against him in the indictment.

Regarding the calls, he stated, "I told him to say it 'as it is' and 'as he remembers'," and claimed, "Kim's testimony did not help in court."

If a sentence of imprisonment, including probation, is ultimately confirmed in this witness tampering case, Representative Lee will not be able to run in the next presidential election.

The first trial verdict on the witness tampering allegations will take place on November 25th at 2 PM.

This is KBS News, Lee Ho-joon.