On May 8, Judge Park Nam-jun of the court's civil division ruled in favor of Lee, his agency Dream Factory, and ticket purchasers in a lawsuit against Gumi City and Mayor Kim Jang-ho. The court ordered Gumi City to pay 35 million won to Lee, 75 million won to his agency, and 1.5 million won to each of the 100 ticket buyers, totaling 125 million won.
Lee's team initially sought 250 million won in damages, but the court recognized only about half of that amount. However, the court acknowledged Gumi City's legal responsibility while not holding Mayor Kim personally liable for damages.
In December 2024, Lee planned to hold his 35th anniversary concert, titled 'Heaven,' at the Gumi Cultural and Arts Center. However, just two days before the event, on December 23, Gumi City unilaterally canceled the venue reservation, citing public safety concerns.
During this process, Mayor Kim's office reportedly demanded that Lee submit a pledge not to engage in political speech. When Lee's team refused, Gumi City decided to cancel the reservation. Subsequently, Lee's team filed a lawsuit against Mayor Kim and Gumi City in January of the following year, claiming that the demand and the cancellation were illegal actions.
After the ruling, Lee expressed his disappointment on Facebook, stating, "They said they could not hold Mayor Kim accountable. I am still unsatisfied with the ruling," and he announced his intention to appeal for justice.
In relation to this case, Lee's team also filed a constitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court, arguing that the city's demand for a pledge infringed on freedom of expression. However, the court dismissed the complaint in March of last year, stating that it did not meet the necessary requirements.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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