Overview

• The Supreme Court referred Lee Jae-myung's election law violation case to its full bench of 13 justices, signaling its high legal and political stakes.
• Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae made the decision to escalate the case after prosecutors appealed a lower court's acquittal of Lee last month.
• Justice Roh Tae-ak, also the head of the National Election Commission, recused himself due to potential conflict of interest.
• The case centers on allegations that Lee, the Democratic Party's presidential front-runner, lied during his 2022 campaign, previously resulting in a suspended sentence overturned on appeal.
• The ruling, expected before the June 3 presidential election, could impact Lee's candidacy and set a precedent for interpreting South Korea's election laws.