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South Korean political bribery trial acquittals

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2026-08-23 03:51 UTC → 2026-08-24 02:18 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Former lawmaker Noh Ung-rae was acquitted in his second trial regarding allegations that he received 60 million won in illegal political funds. The Seoul Central District Court upheld an initial acquittal, ruling that certain evidence, including mobile phone data, was inadmissible because it was obtained through search and seizure procedures that violated the warrant principle. The verdict has triggered intense political conflict. The Democratic Party and President Lee Jae-myung characterized the case as ‘political prosecution’ and ‘fabrication.’ Lee issued an apology to Noh, noting he had previously excluded Noh from party nominations to protect party interests. In contrast, Han Dong-hoon argued the acquittal was a technicality regarding evidence rather than a confirmation of innocence, suggesting the exchange of money remains a fact. This position drew criticism from Hong Joon-pyo and Cho Kuk, with the latter describing Han’s arguments as ‘anti-constitutional sophistry.’ Following the verdict, Noh condemned Han, accusing him of conducting ‘manipulated investigations’ and demanding an apology for the ‘political prosecution’ of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Han countered by asserting that audio recordings from the case contain explicit conversations regarding the receipt of money, rather than just the sound of envelopes, and suggested the court should listen to the full recordings. Meanwhile, the People Power Party criticized the opposition's reaction, labeling it ‘judicial shield politics’ designed to deflect from their own legal risks.

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