Photo : YONHAP News
The Supreme Court has upheld lower court convictions for two ruling Democratic Party lawmakers, stripping them of their seats in the National Assembly.
The top court on Thursday affirmed a lower court ruling that fined Rep. Yi Byeong‑jin seven million won or around four-thousand-800 US dollars for violating the Public Official Election Act and an additional five million won for breaching real estate regulations.
The Supreme Court also upheld the conviction of ruling DP Rep. Shin Yeong-dae’s former campaign manager for buying off voters during the party primaries for the 2024 general elections.
A lawmaker’s election is invalidated with a sentence of imprisonment or a fine of at least one million won, or nearly 700 U.S. dollars, for an election law violation.
The seat is also stripped when a prison term or a fine of at least three million won is finalized for the campaign manager over an election crime.
With both lawmakers’ seats now vacant, by-elections to fill their posts will be held together with the June 3 local elections.