Noh Woong-rae acquitted in second trial amid political clash with Han Dong-hoon

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Woong-rae has been found not guilty in his second trial regarding allegations of receiving 60 million won in illegal political funds. The court ruled that the mobile phone evidence presented by prosecutors was inadmissible due to violations of warrant principles, and that the evidence legally obtained was insufficient to prove the charges.

The verdict has sparked intense political conflict between opposition and ruling party figures. Noh has condemned Han Dong-hoon, the former Minister of Justice, accusing him of conducting “manipulated investigations” and failing to respect judicial decisions. Noh demanded that Han apologize to those harmed by what he termed the “political prosecution” of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung expressed sympathy for Noh, acknowledging the difficulty of being prosecuted by the state. Conversely, Han Dong-hoon challenged the narrative, asserting that audio recordings from the case contain explicit conversations regarding the receipt of money, rather than just the sound of envelopes. He suggested that the court proceedings should include listening to the full recordings. The People Power Party has criticized the opposition's stance, labeling it “judicial shield politics” intended to deflect from their own legal risks.