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PPP interim chief warns of crisis if 'bulletproof' Lee Jae-myung wins election

Published: 03 Jun. 2025, 21:35

Kim Yong-tae, interim leader of the People Power Party, speaks at a press briefing at the National Assembly on May 15. [JOONGANG ILBO]

As exit polls show Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung leading Korea’s presidential race, the conservative People Power Party (PPP) is warning that the country may face an unprecedented constitutional crisis if he wins while still undergoing a criminal trial.

Kim Yong-tae, interim leader of the PPP, raised alarms in a sharply worded Facebook post Tuesday before the results of the sole exit poll were released after voting ended at 8 p.m., citing the potential for “chaos” if Lee is convicted while in office.

“On June 18 — just two weeks from today — Lee will appear in court for a retrial ordered by the Supreme Court,” Kim wrote. “If he is elected president and receives a conviction carrying a fine of 1 million won ($726) or more, Korea could be forced to hold another presidential election within two months. That would be a first in our constitutional history.”

Kim accused the DP of attempting to revise key laws to shield Lee from legal jeopardy.

"To prevent this scenario, the DP will likely push for a revision of the Criminal Act to halt trials for elected presidents, and a revision of the Public Official Election Act to eliminate punishment for the dissemination of false information made to win votes," he said.

He criticized the proposed revisions as "Lee Jae-myung bulletproof bills," and questioned whether the DP officially endorses them as part of its party platform.

"If so, does the Democratic Party believe these bills align with the spirit of the Constitution and common sense?" Kim wrote.

"Halting trials for crimes committed before assuming the presidency could turn the office into a haven for criminals and contradict the president’s duty to uphold the Constitution,” said Kim, citing a recent opinion by the Ministry of Justice delivered during a Legislation and Judiciary Committee subcommittee meeting.

“If the DP does not officially support these bills, are there no lawmakers in the party with the conscience to oppose what is effectively a 'Lee Jae-myung immunity bill'?" he continued.

"Lee has no regard for democratic principles," said Kim. "The people are no longer deceived by the DP’s lies and hypocrisy."

Meanwhile, in a joint exit poll conducted by the three major terrestrial broadcasters following Tuesday's presidential election, Lee was projected to win with 51.7 percent of the vote, followed by the PPP’s Kim Moon-soo with 39.3 percent and the splinter conservative Reform Party’s Lee Jun-seok with 7.7 percent.

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