Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, noted on the 7th that the Seoul High Court postponed the first hearing for the Supreme Court's remand of the public office election law violation case until after the presidential election, stating, "I believe the court made a reasonable decision that it should have made in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution."
On the same day, after finishing a meeting in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, the candidate met with reporters and said, "Now is the time to realize national sovereignty. Since it is an important time for the people to exercise their sovereignty practically, it is more important to ensure that this exercise of sovereignty is not impeded."
Regarding the passage of a criminal procedure law amendment that includes an immediate halt to existing criminal trial procedures if elected president, he stated, "Everything should proceed in accordance with national common sense and constitutional principles."
When asked, "If elected president, what would you do regarding the remand trial?," he replied, "When the time comes, we can make a judgment then," adding, "If we make a judgment based on law, common sense, and national rationality, that will be sufficient."
Lee also emphasized in response to the accountability issue surrounding Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae within the party, "I have lived as a legal professional for decades. The separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary are essential fundamental values that support a democratic republic."
He added, "(The independence of the judiciary) must never be compromised. I fundamentally trust the judiciary, but, as always, not all members are homogeneous."
Finally, he said, "It is necessary to uphold the independence of the judiciary and to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future," adding, "What measures are needed will be determined through sound national common sense and vigorous discussion among members."
Earlier that day, the Seoul High Court announced that it had changed the first trial date for the public office election law violation case against the candidate, originally scheduled for the 15th, to June 18.
The Seoul High Court explained, "To ensure equal campaign opportunities for the defendant, who is a presidential candidate, and to eliminate controversies regarding the fairness of the trial, we are changing the trial date to June 18, 2025, at 10 a.m., after the presidential election date."