Lee Jae-myung Appears in Court for Perjury Case, Remains Silent to Press

On November 25, 2024, Lee Jae-myung (이재명), the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (더불어민주당), attended the first trial hearing regarding his alleged involvement in a perjury case.

Lee arrived at the Seoul Central District Court around 1:48 PM, stepping out of his vehicle with a faint smile. He greeted several fellow Democratic Party lawmakers present at the scene, including Jeong Cheong-rae (정청래), Park Beom-kye (박범계), Kim Nam-hee (김남희), Lee Jae-gang (이재강), Kim Seung-won (김승원), and Lee Jeong-heon (이정헌). Approximately 50 members of the Democratic Party showed their support by gathering at the court.

When approached by reporters seeking his thoughts ahead of the verdict, Lee chose not to respond and proceeded into the courthouse. He appeared deep in thought, bowing his head as he ascended the stairs, followed silently by the other lawmakers.

As Lee made his way into the court, supporters shouted, "Stay strong, Representative!" while a counter-protest group chanted, "Lee Jae-myung must be arrested!" Despite the opposing sentiments, there were no physical confrontations between the two groups.

Inside the courthouse, some supporters continued to voice their backing, chanting phrases like, "Lee Jae-myung is innocent!" and "Stay strong, Representative!" One female supporter outside the designated area declared, "Representative, we will protect you!" Lee briefly waved to his supporters before entering the courtroom.

In a precautionary measure, some police officers present at the court carried umbrellas, likely in response to an incident on November 15, when a citizen threw a shoe at Lee during a previous court session regarding his violation of election laws.