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South Korea’s Top Court Upholds Rulings, Costing Two Democratic Party Lawmakers Their Seats

The decisions trigger automatic disqualification under election law thresholds.

Overview

  • Rep. Yi Byeong-jin’s seat was vacated after the Supreme Court confirmed a 7 million won fine for underreporting assets in the April 2024 race and a separate 5 million won penalty for violating real-name financial rules.
  • Rep. Shin Yeong-dae lost his seat after the court upheld a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, plus 120 hours of community service for his former campaign manager over primary poll manipulation.
  • Prosecutors said the aide, surnamed Kang, provided 15 million won and 100 mobile phones in December 2023 to generate false responses in a Democratic Party primary poll in Gunsan.
  • Shin secured the party nomination in March 2024 by less than one percentage point and went on to win a parliamentary seat in May before the conviction of his aide triggered invalidation.
  • Under the Public Official Election Act, lawmakers lose seats with prison sentences or fines of at least 1 million won, and a campaign manager’s prison term or fine of 3 million won or more voids the lawmaker’s election, reducing the party’s Assembly count to 163 and prompting four June by-elections.