South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung Sees Election Law trial postponed

Updated June​ 09, 2025
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The trial of South Korean President ‍Lee Jae-myung on charges of ‍violating election law has ‌been indefinitely postponed, a⁣ Seoul‌ court announced Monday. The Lee Jae-myung ​ case ‍stems⁣ from alleged false statements made during⁤ his 2022 ‍presidential campaign, a key point in this election law dispute.

The‍ Seoul‌ High Court, ⁢which had scheduled a hearing for June‍ 18, cited “Constitution Article 84” as the reason for the delay, without providing further details. Article 84 of South Korea’s‌ Constitution generally shields a sitting ⁤president from criminal​ prosecution for ⁣most offenses while in⁢ office. However, legal experts disagree on whether this ⁤protection extends to trials already underway ⁤before ⁢the ‌president’s election.

In May, South Korea’s Supreme Court determined that‍ Lee had violated election law with his ​public statements during the 2022 presidential bid. The case⁤ was then ‌sent back to an appeals court.

According ‍to a statement from the National Court ⁢Administration, ‌the decision to halt or proceed with Lee’s trials rests with the judges ​overseeing ‌each case.This adds another ⁣layer to the South Korea political landscape.

Lee’s Democratic Party, which controls parliament, reportedly plans to ⁤introduce a ‌bill this week that would ⁢suspend ongoing trials for the current ‌president, according ​to KBS. Legal experts suggest that the Constitutional⁣ Court may‍ be ‌asked to rule on the bill’s constitutionality.

What’s next

The legal and⁢ political ramifications of ‌the trial’s postponement remain uncertain. The potential passage ⁤of a bill suspending trials and a possible Constitutional Court review could further complicate the situation.