SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung received a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, on Friday after the Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of violating the election law by making false statements related to a mass land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
The sentence puts the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party at risk of being disqualified from holding public office, dealing a severe blow to his political career including his potential bid for presidency in 2027.
He was convicted for lying during the 2021 presidential campaign, when he was a candidate, as well as for other statements he made during a parliamentary audit.
The court ruled he made false statements by claiming that he did not know Kim Moon-ki, an official at Seongnam Development Corporation, who committed suicide amid a probe into the city's project.
Friday's ruling is the first among other allegations Lee faces, including corruption charges related to the project when he was the city's mayor from 2010 to 2018.
Lee insists he is innocent of all charges and accuses prosecutors and of launching a politically motivated investigation.
Unlike a fine of less than one million won that would allow Lee to retain his parliamentary seat, the suspended prison sentence now casts uncertainty over his political future. If upheld by the upper courts, he would be stripped of his parliamentary seat and barred from running in the presidential election for the next five years.
Lee immediately expressed regret and said he will appeal the ruling.
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