Lee Jae-myung, Attends First Trial on 'Daejang-dong Development and Seongnam FC Sponsorship Fund Allegations'

Lee to attend Daejangdong trial twice a week... 'Trial risk' intensifies
If additionally indicted for Baekhyeondong development, expected to appear at least 2-3 times a week

The first trial regarding Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and the allegations of illegal donations related to the Daejang-dong and Wirye developments and Seongnam FC was held on the 6th. It has been six months since he was indicted on these allegations. Lee is already attending a trial for violations of the Public Official Election Act held every other Friday, and now he must also attend the Daejang-dong allegations trial twice a week, leading to analyses that the 'trial risk' has become full-fledged.

Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is under suspicion of preferential treatment in the development of Daechang-dong and Wirye New Town, is attending a trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 6th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The Criminal Division 33 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Kim Dong-hyun) held the first hearing on the day for Lee and Jeong Jin-sang, former chief of political coordination at the party leader’s office, who were indicted on charges including violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. Earlier, Lee’s side submitted a request to the court on the 4th of this month to change the trial date again, but the court denied it, and the trial proceeded as scheduled.

At around 9:25 a.m. that day, Lee arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, using a cane. When reporters asked about his feelings after the warrant dismissal and his first public schedule returning to the court, he did not respond at all and immediately entered the courtroom.

The Daejang-dong trial is expected to focus on whether Lee, during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam, granted preferential treatment to private developers in the Daejang-dong development process, causing Seongnam Urban Development Corporation a loss of 489.5 billion won, and whether he leaked official secrets to private developers to enable them to gain unfair profits. Lee’s side argues that "Seongnam City earned profits with the developers’ money and even created a park, recovering a total of 458.3 billion won as a public interest project."

Additionally, Lee faces charges of accepting illegal donations amounting to about 13.3 billion won by granting improper favors such as building permits and land use changes to four companies including Doosan Construction and Cha Hospital as the owner of Seongnam FC. In previous hearings, the prosecution and Lee’s side presented opposing claims, suggesting fierce disputes will continue throughout the trial.

Moreover, if Lee is additionally indicted in cases such as the Baekhyeon-dong development, Ssangbangwool Group’s remittance to North Korea, and perjury coaching allegations?cases for which arrest warrants were recently dismissed?he will have to appear in court at least two to three times a week, making it practically difficult to perform his duties as party leader normally.

If the prosecution indicts Lee on the three cases for which they requested arrest warrants, the number of major cases he must contest in court will increase to five. Furthermore, he may also be subject to prosecution investigations related to various other allegations surrounding him, such as the payment of legal fees by proxy, which are currently under investigation by the prosecution.

In addition, Lee must pay attention to the trials of his close aides besides his own trials, as he is directly or indirectly involved in their cases as well.

The trial for Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute and Lee’s closest aide, on charges of violating the Political Funds Act related to Daejang-dong, is scheduled for sentencing on the 30th of next month. Also, Kim In-seop, former CEO of Korea Housing Technology, known as a lobbyist for the Baekhyeon-dong development project, is undergoing a first trial.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.