25.03.26.Today News : Lee Jae-myung acquitted of election law 2nd trial / Wildfires leave 24 dead, 26 injured

1. Lee Jae-myung acquitted of election law 2nd trial

Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has been acquitted in an appellate court ruling for charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, overturning the guilty verdict of the first trial. In the first trial, Lee was sentenced to a disqualification from running for office for 10 years, which put him in a "political crisis." However, this ruling eases his legal risk, strengthening his dominant position within the party. If an early presidential election becomes a reality in the future, he is likely to solidify his position as a strong contender.

On the 26th, the 6-2 Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Chief Judge Choi Eun-jeong, Judges Lee Ye-seul, and Jeong Jae-o) overturned the first trial's sentence of one year in prison with a two-year probation and acquitted Lee on the charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

The court ruled that Lee’s statements made during the previous presidential election regarding the Daejang-dong development project, where he claimed to not know the late Kim Moon-gi, former head of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation's Development Division, and his remarks during the 2021 National Assembly inspection of Gyeonggi Province, where he said the land use change for the Korea Food Research Institute in Baekhyeon-dong, Seongnam, was carried out under pressure from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, were not false.

Specifically, regarding the statement from the first trial, where Lee was found guilty for saying, “The photo of me playing golf with Kim is manipulated,” the appellate court ruled, “The fact that 10 people were photographed together cannot support the claim of them playing golf, and since part of the original was removed, it cannot be seen as manipulated.” As for another key issue, the “Baekhyeon-dong remarks,” the court concluded that while the expression might have been an exaggeration of pressure, it was not a false statement.

Lee was indicted in September 2022 for publicly disseminating false information during the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate nomination process in 2021.

After being acquitted, Lee spoke to reporters, expressing gratitude to the court for issuing a fair judgment based on truth and justice, stating, “This is the natural course of events. I hope the prosecution no longer wastes national resources.”

One-line summary : Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted on appeal of charges of violating the Public Offices Election Act, overturning his first conviction and strengthening his party's position in a political crisis.

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2. Wildfires leave 24 dead, 26 injured

A large wildfire that caused significant damage in the northern part of Gyeongsangbuk-do spread to other regions, including Paju in Gyeonggi-do and Gochang in Jeollabuk-do, on the 26th, raising nationwide alarms. The number of fatalities from the wildfire increased from 18 in the morning to 24 in the afternoon.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, as of 4 PM, the total number of casualties was 50, including 24 deaths, 12 seriously injured, and 14 slightly injured.

In terms of regions, the most significant casualties occurred in Uiseong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, where there were 20 deaths, 7 seriously injured, and 8 slightly injured, totaling 35 victims. In addition, in Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do, there were 4 deaths, 5 seriously injured, and 4 slightly injured, while 2 people in Onyang, Ulsan, suffered minor injuries.

The Headquarters noted, “This is a provisional estimate as there are areas that need further investigation,” and mentioned that the casualty information would be updated twice a day, at noon and 4 PM.

At around 1 PM that day, a helicopter used for firefighting in Uiseong crashed while collecting water, resulting in the death of the pilot. The nearby residents reported the crash to 119, but the pilot was already dead when rescuers arrived. Police and firefighting authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

The Korea Forest Service temporarily suspended firefighting helicopter operations due to the crash, but resumed them at 4:30 PM as the wildfire spread rapidly.

Unlike earlier days when wildfires were concentrated in Gyeongsangbuk-do, wildfires broke out in other regions as well. At around 2:14 PM, a fire started on a mountain in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do, and spread to the neighboring city of Jeongeup. Although no casualties have been reported so far, a strong wind warning has been issued for the entire Jeollabuk-do area, raising concerns about further damage.

The forestry authorities have mobilized 5 helicopters and 32 pieces of equipment to fight the fire. At 4:05 PM, Gochang and Jeongeup fire departments issued a level 1 response.

At about the same time, at 2:27 PM, a wildfire was reported in a mountain in Paju, Gyeonggi-do. A helicopter and 27 pieces of equipment, along with 75 personnel, have been deployed to combat the fire.

To prevent the wildfire from spreading uncontrollably, rain is urgently needed, but there is no significant rainfall expected in the near future. However, light rain is expected in inland areas on the 27th, with up to 10 millimeters in Gyeongsang-do and 20 millimeters in other inland areas.

One-line summary : The large wildfire that started in the northern part of North Gyeongsang Province has spread to areas like Paju in Gyeonggi Province and Gochang in North Jeolla Province, putting the entire country on high alert. So far, more than 50 people have been affected, with 24 fatalities, 12 seriously injured, and 14 sustaining minor injuries.