South Korean Opposition Leader Cleared of Election Law Violations, Paving Way for Presidential Run

A South Korean appeals court has overturned a previous legal ruling and found main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung not guilty of violating election laws, effectively removing a significant obstacle that could have prevented him from running for president, Al Jazeera reports.

The Seoul High Court’s verdict, delivered on Wednesday, reversed a 2024 decision that had found Lee guilty of making a false claim during a 2021 parliamentary audit regarding a land development project in Seongnam, where he previously served as mayor.

Lee, who had been handed a one-year prison sentence in November by the lower court, expressed his relief and stated that the appeals court’s decision completely vindicated him, proving that the case was politically motivated.

Had the initial conviction been upheld, Lee would have been stripped of his parliamentary seat and barred from running in the next presidential election.

Currently, opinion polls suggest that Lee is the leading candidate to replace President Yoon Suk-yeol, should the embattled leader’s impeachment be upheld. South Korea would hold a snap presidential election within 60 days if the Constitutional Court approves the impeachment of Yoon, which stems from his controversial, though short-lived, declaration of martial law in December.

Lee, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, is considered by many to be the frontrunner for the next presidential election, but he continues to face legal challenges.

It remains unclear whether the prosecution will appeal Wednesday’s High Court decision at the Supreme Court.

Beyond the election law violation case, Lee is also facing several other trials on charges ranging from bribery to matters primarily linked to a $1 billion property development scandal.

In South Korea, politicians convicted of violating election laws and receiving a fine of one million won (approximately $680 USD) or more, or even a suspended sentence that is finalized, are barred from running for elections for a minimum of five years and lose their parliament seat.

Lee, 61, ran against Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, ultimately losing by the narrowest margin in the country’s history.

In 2024, Lee survived a knife attack during an event when a man stabbed him in the neck, requiring him to undergo surgery.