South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung is facing renewed legal and political pressure following a court ruling on June 7 that convicted a former provincial official of bribery and illegal fund transfers to North Korea. The verdict has led prosecutors to state they will review charging Lee in connection with the case, while the country’s ruling party has called for his resignation.
The Suwon District Court found Lee Hwa-young, a former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, guilty of accepting bribes from the Ssangbangwool Group, a South Korean company, and orchestrating the transfer of $8 million to North Korea between 2019 and 2020. Lee Hwa-young served as vice governor while Lee Jae-myung was governor of the province. The court sentenced the former vice governor to nine years and six months in prison.
In its ruling, the court concluded that the funds were intended to facilitate Gyeonggi Province’s business projects in North Korea and to arrange a visit to Pyongyang for then-Governor Lee Jae-myung. The court’s verdict stated that Ssangbangwool had effectively paid the funds on behalf of Lee Jae-myung and the provincial government.
Following the verdict, the Suwon District Public Prosecutor’s Office, which has been investigating the case, indicated it would soon decide whether to formally indict Lee Jae-myung. Prosecutors allege the illegal remittances were made to advance Lee’s political standing ahead of a potential presidential run. Lee has been under investigation as a third-party bribery suspect in the case.
The conviction prompted immediate political reaction. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has called on Lee to step down from his position as leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and as a member of the National Assembly. In a statement, PPP officials said the court’s decision substantiates the allegations against Lee and that he should take political responsibility.
Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party have denied all allegations, describing the investigation as a politically motivated effort by the administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee has publicly stated that the case is a “fabrication” and part of a “political prosecution.” The Democratic Party has maintained that prosecutors coerced Lee Hwa-young and other individuals into giving false testimony against its leader.
This case is one of several legal challenges facing Lee Jae-myung. He is currently standing trial in separate cases related to corruption allegations during his time as mayor of Seongnam and alleged election law violations during his 2022 presidential campaign, in which he was narrowly defeated by Yoon. Lee has pleaded not guilty in those cases as well.
