SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s Supreme Court will issue a ruling on Thursday in a case involving presidential frontrunner Lee Jae-myung, which could disqualify the former opposition party leader from contesting the country’s June 3 election.
Lee, the candidate of the liberal Democratic Party which controls parliament, leads opinion polls to win a snap presidential election sparked by former conservative president Yoon Suk Yeol’s ouster over his imposition of martial law.
The election law violation case against Lee is being closely watched since a ruling that removes him from the ballot could further deepen divisions in society, after months of political turmoil that has hampered efforts to steer Asia’s fourth-largest economy through the choppy waters of U.S. tariffs.
In March, an appeals court had cleared Lee of violating the election law, but prosecutors had appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
Lee is embroiled in several criminal trials, but the election law case is in the spotlight because if the Supreme Court overturns Lee’s not guilty verdict and it is finalised, it would bar him from contesting elections for at least five years.
The ruling is due to be announced at 3 p.m. (0600 GMT) and will require the backing of a majority of seven or more out of 12 judges on the top court’s bench.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s acting leader Han Duck-soo is expected to resign on Thursday in order to clear a path for him to join the race to become the country’s permanent president, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
Prime Minister Han looks set to contest the election so he can leverage his higher profile since being thrust into the top post after the removal from office of former President Yoon.
($1 = 1,423.7500 won)
(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies and Michael Perry)
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