In the presidential election phase held in 2022, attorney Jang Young-ha, who raised an allegation of ties to gangsters against President Lee Jae-myung, then a leading presidential contender of the Democratic Party of Korea, was found guilty. The first trial acquitted Jang, but the second trial overturned that ruling, saying, "The defendant's announcement of false information cannot be dismissed as having no impact on the election result."
The Criminal Division 7 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jae-gwon) on the 22nd sentenced attorney Jang to one year in prison, suspended for two years, in the appeal trial on a charge of announcing false information under the Public Official Election Act. The Criminal Division 7 is also the panel that previously postponed the remand trial hearing in President Lee's election law case.
The court said, "About four months before the 20th presidential election, attorney Jang announced false information, including that a businessman who was a former organized crime member and others had given bribes to candidate Lee Jae-myung, with the purpose of preventing candidate Lee from being elected. Such conduct hinders voters' rational judgment and distorts decision-making."
Attorney Jang was the legal representative of Park Cheol-min, an enforcer of the International Mafia, a criminal organization in Seongnam. In Oct. 2021, citing Park's statements, Jang claimed that President Lee received about 2 billion won in return for granting business favors to the International Mafia while serving as Seongnam mayor.
Prosecutors decided not to indict, judging that Chairperson Jang believed Park's statements to be true and reported the suspicions. Afterward, the Democratic Party filed for a court-ordered prosecution, and the court accepted it, sending Chairperson Jang to trial in May 2023.
In January, the first trial acquitted Jang, ruling that "it appears attorney Jang believed the announced facts to be true," and that it was difficult to find awareness of falsity.