Rival parties have issued mixed reactions to the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down an appellate court’s ruling to acquit Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung of his election law violation charges. 

The People Power Party floor leader Kweon Seong-dong on Thursday urged Lee to immediately resign from his candidacy to take responsibility for his repeated violations of the law and delays in legal proceedings.

Kweon said that Lee has consistently denied the criminal charges from the first trial up to the present, showing no sign of remorse for his wrongdoing and no willingness to take responsibility.

The Democratic Party, however, strongly criticized the top court’s ruling, denouncing it as a “judicial coup” and “meddling in the presidential election.”

Rep. Jeon Hyun-heui, the joint chief of the party’s election committee, said in a post on social media that today will be recorded as the day judicial justice died, expressing deep regret over the unprecedented interference by the Supreme Court in the presidential election.