Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
ANALYSIS Court ruling on Lee Jae-myung likely to reshape presidential race
Park Chan-dae, third from left, Democratic Party of Korea floor leader, and other party lawmakers shout slogans condemning the Supreme Court during an emergency party meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Bahk Eun-ji
PPP calls on Lee to quit candidacy; DPK denounces verdict for 'intervening in election'
A Supreme Court decision overturning an appellate acquittal of Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has shaken up the political landscape ahead of the June 3 election.
Lee and the liberal DPK expected the top court to uphold the March ruling by the Seoul High Court and clear him of legal risks. But the top court sent the case back to the appellate court, virtually acknowledging accusations against Lee and reigniting legal uncertainty just weeks before voters head to the polls.
While the DPK is denouncing the ruling, which it views as “politically biased,” other parties, especially the conservative People Power Party (PPP), are calling on Lee to step down from the candidacy. Although the verdict does not immediately disqualify him, it raises the possibility that a future ruling — if finalized with a sentence of at least 1 million won ($699) — could bar him from office for at least five years.
Even though Lee continues the presidential race as the high court verdict is unlikely to be made soon, it is to be seen how the Supreme Court verdict will affect centrist voters.
The PPP swiftly welcomed the verdict which it called "a restoration of judicial integrity."
“This is a victory for common sense and the rule of law,” PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong said, denouncing the earlier acquittal as politically driven. He called on the high court to issue a new ruling before the election.
PPP interim leader Kwon Young-se said, "Lee has already been disqualified" as a presidential candidate. "Lee insisting on candidacy is a serious insult to the people," he said.
Kwon Young-se, center, the interim leader of the People Power Party, speaks about the Supreme Court ruling on Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
PPP spokesperson Shin Dong-wook said the ruling reaffirmed that “law and fairness remain the bedrock of our democracy,” warning that Lee’s continued candidacy could further erode public trust.
Former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, one of the party's two primary contenders, declared that Lee’s “license to lie has been revoked,” while another contender and former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo argued that Lee should “step down immediately if he has any sense of responsibility.”
Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok also weighed in, writing on social media that the ruling was “no different from a confirmed conviction.” Citing Article 8 of the Court Organization Act, he argued that the high court is bound by the Supreme Court’s legal reasoning and said, “Disqualification is only a matter of time.”
Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, checks his smartphone after a meeting with gig workers at a pub in Jongno District, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
On the contrary, the DPK strongly denounced the verdict, saying it is “a rushed political trial” and a “clear intervention in the election.”
“The judiciary is trying to rob the people of their sovereignty and their right to choose,” DPK spokesperson Jo Seoung-lae said.
Referencing the Dec. 3 martial law controversy caused by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Jo added, “The court remained silent on the impeached Yoon administration’s unconstitutional threats, yet now it dares to obstruct the people’s election? The coup is not over.”
He added, “This is not the time for the court. It is the time of the people. We will stand firm and trust in them to build a real democracy.”
As to the question of whether the DPK plans to change its presidential candidate, Jo said, "No."
Lee himself responded in measured terms. Speaking to reporters after a campaign stop in central Seoul, he said the ruling was “completely different from what I had anticipated.” But he added, "Political rivals may have various expectations, but the people’s will matters the most. I'll follow the people's will,” making it clear he would not withdraw from the race.
The Supreme Court found that two remarks made by Lee — denying that he had golfed with a former senior official of Seongnam City and claiming the land ministry pressured the city government over zoning — were false factual statements likely to mislead voters. It concluded that the appellate court misapplied legal standards and ordered a retrial. Ten of the 12 justices supported the decision.
Although the high court ruling before June 3 appears unlikely, the court is expected to begin retrial proceedings swiftly, including sentencing.