South Korean court postpones President Lee's trial over illegal remittances to North Korea

The Suwon District Court explained the postponement by noting that Lee is currently serving as president and holds a role representing the nation.

“In order to ensure he can focus on his duties guaranteed by the Constitution and for the continuity of the running of state affairs, we will designate a date in the future,” the court stated during a preparatory session.

The case involves allegations that, during his tenure as Gyeonggi governor from 2019 to 2020, Lee instructed the head of an underwear company to transfer $5 million to North Korea for a smart farm initiative, as well as an additional $3 million to support a planned visit to the North.

His four other cases have also been postponed under Article 84 of the Constitution, which shields a sitting president from criminal prosecution except in instances of treason or insurrection.

These cases involve accusations of making false claims before the 2022 presidential election, corruption linked to a development project while he was mayor of Seongnam, embezzlement of provincial funds during his time as Gyeonggi governor, and inducing false testimony.