Former Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young's First-Instance Verdict: Democratic Party Cites 'Proof of Prosecution's Targeted Investigation'

The first-instance verdict has been delivered in the jury trial of former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young. While some charges, including perjury, resulted in acquittals and dismissals, Lee received a four-month prison sentence for perjury. He was acquitted of charges related to 'splitting donations' (violation of the Political Funds Act), and charges of abuse of power were dismissed. The jury's verdict on the perjury charge was split 4-3, while the verdict on the violation of the Political Funds Act was a unanimous 7-0 acquittal.

The Democratic Party has claimed that this verdict proves the prosecution engaged in 'targeted investigations' and 'fabricated indictments.' The party stated that the ruling suggests it was a case of prosecutorial 'abuse of power,' where the prosecution pursued or indicted a specific case unduly, and that the court has affirmed the validity of concerns raised about investigations targeting prominent politicians during the previous administration.

The People Power Party has refuted the Democratic Party's claims, stating they are factually incorrect.

The verdict and the reactions from the respective parties could spill over into discussions about the fairness of future prosecutorial investigations and public trust in the judicial system within the political sphere.