Lee Jae Myung

Prosecutors accuse Lee of involvement in a scheme whereby Ssangbangwool allegedly sent approximately 8 million dollars to North Korea: 5 million for a Gyeonggi smart farm project and 3 million to facilitate a future visit by Lee to Pyongyang.

Attribution

Accused

Lee was indicted in November 2024 for allegedly using approximately 106.5 million won in provincial funds for personal purposes while governor, notably food, laundry and use of an official vehicle.

Attribution

Accused

Lee was prosecuted for allegedly inducing a witness to give false testimony in 2019 to assist him in litigation linked to his earlier conviction involving impersonation of a prosecutor.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Lee was prosecuted over statements made during the 2022 campaign. In November 2024, he received a one-year suspended prison sentence; in March 2025, he was acquitted on appeal; on 1 May 2025, the Supreme Court overturned that acquittal and remitted the case.

Attribution

Accused

Lee's government and the Democratic Party initiated a major restructuring of the prosecution service, separating investigation and prosecution and reducing investigative powers. Proposals also envisaged making it easier to withdraw or dismiss pending charges.

State of the evidence

Documented

Lee and his wife sold their Seongnam apartment for 2.9 billion won and financed a substantial part of the purchase through security worth 1.8 billion won, while his government's mortgage restrictions severely limited bank financing.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Shortly after taking office, Lee approved legislation establishing special prosecutor investigations into Yoon's martial law, allegations concerning Kim Keon Hee and the death of a marine. These investigations led to numerous prosecutions and judicial decisions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Recordings of telephone calls involving his elder brother and sister-in-law, against the background of a family dispute involving their mother, captured Lee using insults and extremely abusive language. A compilation lasting approximately 160 minutes was made public during the 2022 presidential campaign.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

During a presidential debate, Lee stated that a 'political novice' who had become Ukraine's president had announced an intention to join NATO, 'provoked' Russia and contributed to the circumstances that led to the conflict. His remarks were criticised for placing part of the responsibility on Ukraine.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Lee was prosecuted for allegedly abusing his mayoral powers to have his brother admitted to psychiatric hospital and for his answers during 2018 debates. He was acquitted at first instance; the appellate court convicted him over a false electoral statement, but the Supreme Court overturned that conviction and the retrial ended in a final acquittal in 2020.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Actress Kim Boo-sun claimed to have had an extramarital relationship with Lee and cited a mole on an intimate part of his body as evidence. Lee has consistently denied the relationship.

Attribution

Personally implicated

During the 2010 local election campaign, Lee distributed business cards in an underground station despite legal restrictions on this form of campaigning. A fine of 500,000 won was upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2011.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

While working as a lawyer and activist in Seongnam, Lee took part with a television producer in a telephone call during which the producer impersonated a prosecutor to question Seongnam's mayor. Lee was fined, and the conviction became final in 2004.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Personally implicated

Lee was fined 1.5 million won in 2004 for drink-driving. Press sources reported a blood alcohol level of approximately 0.158%.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Personally implicated

Lee was fined 5 million won for aggravated obstruction of official duties and damage to public property in the context of protests following the swift rejection of a proposed Seongnam municipal hospital.

State of the evidence

Established by a court