Lee Jae-myung scores victory in murder defamation suit

A court ruled Thursday in favor of Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung in a civil defamation suit related to the murder of two women by Lee’s nephew.

Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung [NEWS1]

A court ruled Thursday in favor of Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung in a civil defamation suit related to the murder of two women by Lee’s nephew.

In 2006, the nephew lethally stabbed his girlfriend and her mother in their residence in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul. because the girlfriend wanted to break up. Lee, an attorney at the time, defended his nephew in his murder trial.

Lee's role became an issue in 2021 when he was running as a presidential candidate.

He was criticized for serving as a defense attorney in the case and, during the campaign, describing the murders as "dating violence."

In December 2021, the father and husband of the victims filed a 100-million-won ($80,000) lawsuit against Lee for defamation for the "dating violence" description, which he said affected him psychologically.

The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday ruled for Lee and against the plaintiff.

Lee's nephew was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2007.

During the last presidential campaign, Lee explained he had to defend his nephew at the time since the family was not capable of hiring an attorney. He admitted the nephew committed a serious crime, but then used the "dating violence" expression.

"Lee distorted the facts by referring to the case as dating violence,” the father and husband of the victims said last year.

Lee apologized for his comment saying he used a “clumsy description” of the case and did not intend to downplay or diminish his nephew's crime.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, LEE BO-RAM [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]