Court Rejects Detention Warrant for Lee Jae-myung, Leader of the Democratic Party

By Byung Kee Park

SEOUL — The Seoul Central District Court announced early today that it had rejected a detention warrant for Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party. The decision, delivered around 2:23 a.m. by Judge Yoo Chang-hoon, provided several critical reasons for the rejection:

1. ^{Concerning the Allegation of Witness Tampering: Judge Yoo perceived some validity based on various pieces of evidence. However, he found no imminent threat of evidence destruction.}
2. ^{Regarding the Baekhyeon-dong Development Project: Although there's significant suspicion about Lee's involvement when considering his position, related documents, and testimonies, direct evidence remains insufficient to negate Lee's right to defense conclusively.}
3. ^{On the North Korean Transfer Issue: Key testimonies, especially from central figure Lee Hwa-young, hint at divergent perspectives on Lee's awareness, collaboration, or degree of involvement. Given his public position, the judge found it hard to say there was a threat of evidence tampering definitively.}

Considering the need to protect the defendant's rights and the low probability of evidence destruction, Judge Yoo concluded that there was no compelling reason to deviate from the principle of non-detention in this case.

Following a roughly nine-hour review on September 26th, Lee awaited the verdict at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. When he appeared outside the facility around 3:50 a.m., dozens of supporters chanted his name. Moving on a wheelchair and then walking with the support of a cane to his vehicle, Lee met with waiting members of the Democratic Party, sharing handshakes and apparent relief. Lee expressed his gratitude, saying, "I deeply thank the judiciary for their wise judgment," before heading to Noksaek Hospital, where he was previously admitted. With the rejection of the detention warrant, Lee is expected to resume his party duties soon.

In an interview with YTN, Democratic Party representative Lee Su-jin commented, "About 40 members waited outside the detention center and sighed in relief upon hearing the news. Those who publicly acknowledged the motion to arrest within our party should now justify their stance. However, I oppose any moves to identify and single out those unidentified members."

Experts are speculating on whether those who voted in favor of the arrest motion might face expulsion from the party, and all eyes are on what decision Lee Jae-myung will make next.

In an interview with reporters at 9:25 a.m., Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok stated, "The warrant review is about deciding whether to detain or not. The trial has not even begun yet. The investigative team will thoroughly complete the remaining investigation."

Following his recent election as floor leader, Representative Hong Ik-pyo commented at 9:25 a.m. on the court's decision to reject the detention warrant for Lee Jae-myung, stating, "It was only natural for the warrant to be dismissed. Judicial justice is still alive and well." He further called for an official apology from President Yoon for the political investigation and demanded the dismissal of Han Dong-hoon, the Minister of Justice. He criticized, "Under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, the government has been fixated on political investigations and blaming the previous administration, while the country's economy has deteriorated. The Democratic Party pledges to uplift the lives of the citizens affected by this decline."

Photo by NJT. After completing the warrant review on the 26th, Democratic Party Leader Lee Jae-myung exited the court building. He then immediately headed to the Seoul Detention Center.

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, on his way to work, remarked, "The rejection of the detention warrant does not imply that Representative Lee Jae-myung is innocent. It's inappropriate for a minister to comment on the specific judgment of a judge." He refrained from making detailed statements about the decision.

The People Power Party convened an emergency assembly of its members. In response to the situation, the party's floor leader Yoon Jae-ok expressed, "We deeply regret the dismissal of the warrant for Lee Jae-myung. The logic behind the decision seems preconceived. Claiming the right to defense due to a lack of direct evidence is a judgment we believe significantly deviates from legal reasoning."