[News Today] “NOT GUILTY OF SUBORNING PERJURY”

[LEAD]
Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has been acquitted in the first trial of the subornation of perjury case. Last week, he faced a prison sentence for violating the Public Official Election Act, but this verdict stated he was not guilty. Lee expressed his gratitude towards the judiciary for "restoring truth and justice."

[REPORT]
Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has been acquitted of subornation of perjury for which he was referred to trial in October last year.

He was indicted for lying during a 2018 governors election TV debate that he was framed in a past investigatorial case when he was accused of impersonating a prosecutor.

He was charged with asking Kim Jin-seong, the secretary of former Seongnam Mayor Kim Byung-ryang, to give false testimony.

Lee Jae-myung, Kim Jin-seong phone call (Dec. 24, 2018)
"What I hope is that KBS and Mayor Kim’s side thoroughly discussed this issue and, if possible...
(had a shared consensus?)
The word consensus would be great."

In the ruling, the court said Lee's request is not an extraordinary one and the fact that he mentioned what he needed in a testimony can't be seen as asking the other party to commit perjury.

The court added that Lee providing a summary of arguments to Kim cannot be seen as unreasonable or overstepping his right to defense.

Lee was found not guilty even in regards to Kim committing perjury for the very part Lee had asked him for a testimony, with the court noting there was no intentionality.

Lee Jae-myung / Chair, Democratic Party
I thank the court for restoring justice. Let’s pursue politics that save lives.

However, Kim who admitted to perjury has been convicted and was slapped a fine of five million won, or about 3,600 U.S. dollars.