South Korea's Opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung Cleared of Perjury Charges

South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted of perjury charges, a legal victory amid ongoing trials that could impact his political future, including a recent conviction over election law violations and allegations tied to a property scandal.

South Korea's main opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, was acquitted on Monday of charges that he coerced a witness into committing perjury, the Seoul Central District Court announced. The case is one of several legal challenges that could impact his political career.

Following the ruling, Lee expressed gratitude to the court for "bringing back truth and justice," as his supporters celebrated.

The allegations claimed Lee had instructed a witness to give false testimony during a 2019 trial concerning an election law violation. Lee, who leads the Democratic Party, still faces multiple other legal battles, including bribery charges and accusations tied to a $1 billion property development scandal.

On November 15, a court found Lee guilty of violating election law, sentencing him to one year in prison, suspended for two years. If upheld, the sentence could jeopardise his potential bid for the presidency in 2027. Lee has stated his intention to appeal.

Additionally, Lee was indicted last week on allegations of misusing over 100 million won ($71,900) in public funds for personal expenses during his time as a governor.

Lee, who narrowly lost to President Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 election and is widely expected to run again, has dismissed the charges as "political retaliation" and argued there is no basis for the indictment.

Under South Korean law, any final conviction with a prison sentence or a fine of 1 million won ($714.13) or more in an election law case would disqualify him from parliament and bar him from standing in elections for five years.

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