Lee Jae-myung's Court Hearing Delayed Until After Election

The Seoul High Court has postponed the retrial of Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, regarding his violation of the Public Official Election Act. Originally scheduled for May 15, the hearing has now been moved to June 18, following the presidential election. Legal experts suggest that this decision reflects the court's capitulation to political pressure from the Democratic Party, which has been accused of attempting to influence the judiciary.

On May 2, the court quickly set the initial hearing date after assigning the case, but just 40 minutes after Lee's legal team requested a change, the court rescheduled the hearing. Critics in the legal community have expressed disbelief at the court's retreat, stating that the Democratic Party's aggressive stance against the judiciary has crossed a line.

In a related development, the Democratic Party and the Justice Reform Party have announced plans to hold a confirmation hearing for Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on May 14, arguing that the Supreme Court's recent ruling against Lee constitutes judicial interference in the election.

Following the Supreme Court's ruling, the Democratic Party has openly criticized the judiciary, particularly targeting the judges involved in Lee's case. The Justice Reform Party has raised concerns about the backgrounds of the judges, suggesting potential biases due to their connections with political figures.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ji-won stated on MBC Radio that the party had requested the trial's postponement and threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against the judges if the court did not comply by May 12.

Legal analysts have noted that such overt political pressure on the judiciary is unprecedented since the military dictatorship era, with one prosecutor commenting that they have never witnessed the legislative branch exerting such influence over the judiciary.

As the June 18 hearing approaches, there are doubts about whether it will proceed, especially if Lee is elected president, as Article 84 of the Constitution states that a sitting president cannot be criminally prosecuted except for insurrection or treason. This could lead to further legal disputes regarding the interpretation of the Constitution.

Concerns about the integrity of the judiciary have been raised, with some legal professionals questioning how any trial could be perceived as fair and impartial under the current circumstances. They argue that the judiciary has effectively undermined its own independence.