Opposition leader attends court hearing over alleged election law violations

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung appeared in court Friday to stand trial on charges of violating the election law by making false statements during his presidential campaign in 2021.

In his first court appearance as the chair of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), Lee arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul at about 10:30 a.m. to attend his trial over the allegations that he made false statements related to two land development projects in Seongnam, just south of Seoul.

Lee is suspected of spreading false information related to the so-called Daejang-dong land development project in Seongnam, in violation of the election law, by denying knowing a key figure of the project during his presidential campaign.

In a TV interview on Dec. 22, 2021, Lee denied being acquainted with Kim Moon-ki, a former head of Seongnam Development Corp.’s project development team, during his time as Seongnam mayor from 2015 to 2016.

Kim was found dead the previous day amid an investigation into his alleged involvement in the Daejang-dong scandal.

Civic groups filed complaints against Lee after photos were released of Lee posing together with Kim and several others on an extended overseas business trip in January 2015. But Lee has claimed that he did not know Kim because he was a low-level municipal employee.

Lee is also suspected of making false statements about another land development project in Seongnam’s Baekhyeon-dong district during his presidential campaign, also in violation of the election law.

The Baekhyeon-dong scandal centered on allegations that the municipal government of Seongnam gave special treatment to a private developer, which developed the district into apartment complexes between 2015 and 2016.

The private developer reportedly earned windfall profits after the city somehow canceled an original plan to provide rental homes and instead allowed the developer to sell homes to consumers.

Lee, as the DP presidential candidate, alleged during a parliamentary inspection on Oct. 20, 2021, that the approval of the Baekhyeon-dong project was given at the request of the land ministry.

According to prosecutors, however, the land ministry has denied making such a request to the Seongnam city government.