▲ People’s Power Party member Joo Jin-woo is heading to the civil affairs office holding a request to ask for a TV broadcast of the first trial ruling for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who is charged with spreading false information under the Public Official Election Act and inciting perjury.
The People’s Power Party has submitted a petition to the court, claiming that Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is deliberately delaying the appeals trial of his violation of the Public Official Election Act.
The party’s legal advisory committee stated today (16th) that “Representative Lee is delaying the trial process by not appointing a lawyer and repeatedly not accepting the notice of lawsuit record receipt. The court should actively exercise its authority to conduct a swift trial in accordance with the Public Official Election Act,” they said in the petition.
The legal advisory committee argued in the petition that “to expedite the trial, it is necessary to appoint a public defender to receive the lawsuit record notice on behalf of him and to reject unnecessary witnesses in evidence investigation.”
The legal advisory committee added, “There should be substantial penalties for attempts to deliberately delay the trial, so that the verdict can be delivered within 3 months as stipulated by law.”
Last month, on the 15th, Representative Lee was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspension for the violation of the Public Official Election Act in the first trial.
If the suspended sentence from the first trial is finalized by the Supreme Court, Representative Lee will lose his seat as a member of the National Assembly and will be restricted from running for office for 10 years, prohibiting him from running for president.
According to the Public Official Election Act, trials for election-related crimes must be completed within 6 months for the first trial, and 3 months each for the second and third trials.
(Photo = Yonhap News)