When news broke that Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, was acquitted, supporters gathered in front of the Seoul Central District Court and applauded, chanting Lee's name. The Democratic Party of Korea, which was waiting for the outcome of Lee's sentence with nervous expressions, was also happy to hear the news of his innocence, which turned around dramatically.

About 60 Democratic lawmakers, including the leadership, gathered at the court ahead of the sentencing on the 26th. He seemed nervous at the beginning of the sentencing trial as there was a possibility that the conviction of the first trial would continue in the second trial, but his face brightened as the court's sentence tilted to innocence. Lawmakers who were keeping an eye on mobile phones raised their heads and exchanged whispers with each other as key issues were overturned innocent. As the sentencing was nearing the end and it became virtually clear that they were innocent, lawmakers shouted "Lee Jae-myung is innocent" and waved to cheering supporters.

At the end of the sentence, lawmakers lined up in two rows and greeted representative Lee who came out of the court. He congratulated Representative Lee in a relatively restrained atmosphere under the guidance of the floor leadership to refrain from excessive cheering in consideration of the damage caused by forest fires.

Representative Lee came out of the court and said, "I think it is absurd that a lot of energy has been used to bring out these natural things and the state's manpower has been exhausted," adding, "What a good world it would have been if the prosecution and the government had spent their ability to manipulate evidence and cases to prevent forest fires or improve people's lives." He pointed out, "Even at this moment, many people are interested in this, but somewhere, wildfires are spreading, someone is dying, and the economy is breaking down."

Democratic lawmakers welcomed Lee's innocence on Facebook. Supreme Council member Jeon Hyun-hee said, "It is a judgment that justice won," and added, "The prosecution, which broke out of prison with an unprecedented abandonment of appeal for the cancellation of the arrest of the Yoon Suk Yeol, a gangster who resisted by applying the illegal interpretation of the law, should give up its appeal fairly to CEO Lee." Supreme Council member Kim Byung-joo said, "It is a victory of justice and truth, a victory of democracy," adding, "This ruling is a clear rebuttal of the prosecution's unfair prosecution and political conspiracy." Rep. Kim Han-kyu wrote, "I'm glad that a common sense ruling was sentenced."

Some argued that the Constitutional Court should quickly designate the date of the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Kim Yong-min, the deputy floor leader for policy, said, "The country should stand right when judicial order is restored and the court stands right away," adding, "The Constitutional Court should also fulfill its constitutional responsibilities quickly." Lawmaker Oh Ki-hyung said, "They are all innocent," adding, "Now the Constitutional Court must answer."

Meanwhile, CEO Lee headed to the forest fire site in his hometown of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, shortly after the ruling. Representative Lee visited the victims' evacuation facilities and other damaged sites.

[Reporter Hong Hyejin]