South Korea’s Seoul High Court on Wednesday overturned main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung’s earlier conviction for violating the Public Official Election Act, clearing one of the most significant legal obstacles to his likely presidential bid. The court ruled that Lee’s past remarks did not constitute false statements, and it rejected the lower court’s earlier conclusion that Lee had intentionally misled voters for electoral gain. The court stated that his comments were either expressions of opinion or unverifiable based on available evidence.

Lee was initially sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspension in November, a verdict that would have barred him from seeking elected office for ten years. Although prosecutors may appeal the Seoul High Court’s ruling, the decision nevertheless marks a significant legal victory for Lee. He still faces multiple other charges but is now legally positioned to run for president if the Constitutional Court upholds President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment.