Lee, Yoon and tilted scales of justice

Last Wednesday, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), was acquitted on appeal of charges related to publishing false information under the Public Official Election Act, a judgment that was a shock to many Koreans. The court ruled that even though Lee had made significant false statements, his remarks could not be legally punished because they were made during a live broadcast, pertained to perception rather than specific actions and constituted general impressions or opinions. This judgment essentially means that politicians can legally lie during the public election process.