Democratic Party leader cleared of charges on pressuring witness, although he faces more major trials ahead
South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted Monday of charges that he pressured a witness to commit perjury, as the Seoul Central District Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove he had intentionally solicited false testimony. The case centered on allegations that Lee had asked a former secretary to lie in court about a 2018 election law case.
The court found that Lee's communications with the witness appeared to be "more of a general testimony request than deliberate perjury solicitation," though the witness himself was fined for providing false testimony. This marks the second verdict among five ongoing trials against Lee, coming just ten days after he received a suspended prison sentence in a separate election law violation case.
South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted Monday of charges that he pressured a witness to commit perjury, as the Seoul Central District Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove he had intentionally solicited false testimony. The case centered on allegations that Lee had asked a former secretary to lie in court about a 2018 election law case.
The court found that Lee's communications with the witness appeared to be "more of a general testimony request than deliberate perjury solicitation," though the witness himself was fined for providing false testimony. This marks the second verdict among five ongoing trials against Lee, coming just ten days after he received a suspended prison sentence in a separate election law violation case.
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