The Seoul High Court has decided to postpone the first hearing in the remanded trial for Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, who stands accused of violating the election law, until after the June 3 election.

The court announced on Wednesday that it was pushing the date to June 18 to guarantee Lee an equal chance to carry on his campaign and to eliminate controversy over the fairness of the trial.

In explaining the move, the court said it maintains a stance of fair and independent judgment in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law, without any influence or interference from inside or outside the court, and will continue to do so. 

Lee was convicted in November of spreading false information during the 2022 presidential election campaign in violation of the Public Official Election Act, but his conviction was overturned on appeal in March before the Supreme Court found fault with the verdict and remanded the trial back to the Seoul High Court last week.

The first hearing in the remanded trial was originally scheduled for May 15, but Lee’s lawyer submitted a postponement request to the court earlier on Wednesday.