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First hearing of Lee Jae-myung's retrial set for May 15

Published: 02 May. 2025, 18:19 Updated: 02 May. 2025, 18:24

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung walks toward his car after his meeting with workers at Jongno District, central Seoul, on May 1. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The first hearing of liberal Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's retrial for alleged election law violations is scheduled for May 15.

According to the Seoul High Court on Friday, the case has been assigned to the court’s Criminal Division 7. Presiding Judge Lee Jae-kwon will lead the panel, with Judge Song Mi-kyung serving as the main judge.

The scheduling comes just one day after the Supreme Court's full bench overturned a lower court's acquittal of Lee and remanded the case to the Seoul High Court with instructions to reconsider the charges.

With the case reassigned, the court is expected to issue a formal notice summoning the parties to appear. If the notice is not successfully delivered to the defendant, the court must reschedule the hearing. Legal proceedings can’t proceed until the summons is served correctly.

Given the Supreme Court's ruling that Lee should be found guilty, legal analysts say the likelihood of an acquittal in the retrial is low. The Supreme Court's decision is binding, and unless new evidence is introduced, the lower court is unlikely to reach a different conclusion.

Presiding Judge Lee, a graduate of Jeju Jeil High School and Seoul National University's law faculty, completed the 23rd class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

Presiding Judge Lee began his judicial career at the Seoul District Court and later served as a judicial policy adviser under Chief Justice Lee Yong-hoon. During Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae's tenure, Lee was a senior judge in the Supreme Court's secretariat.

Under Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su, Lee chaired a subcommittee of the judicial administration advisory council, which was established to promote court reform and decentralization of judicial authority.

He also served as a senior research fellow at the Judicial Policy Research Institute, then led by attorney Hong Ki-tae, a former judge who participated in judicial reform initiatives during Chief Justice Lee Yong-hoon's administration.

Presiding Judge Lee has previously served as a judge at the Seoul Administrative Court and a senior judge at the Seoul Central District Court and the Suwon High Court.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]