Prosecutors have requested a two-year prison sentence for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, who was indicted for making false statements during the 2022 presidential election campaign. The prosecutors argued in the final hearing at the Seoul Central District Court that Lee violated the Public Official Election Act by repeatedly lying to the public in an attempt to secure the presidency. They emphasized the gravity of the matter, stating that Lee's false statements, widely broadcasted, had a significant impact on voters' decisions. The prosecutors stressed the importance of imposing strict punishment on individuals who distort voter choice through falsehoods to uphold the values of election fairness and democracy. Lee, who was indicted in September 2022, faces charges related to false statements made during the presidential campaign regarding a high-profile land development project in Seongnam city during his mayoral term. In response to the charges, Lee accused prosecutors of fabricating the case and expressed confidence that the court, as the defender of human rights and democracy, would reach a just conclusion. The outcome of this trial is crucial for Lee's political future and could influence the broader political landscape in South Korea. If sentenced to two years in prison, Lee would lose his parliamentary seat and be ineligible to run for office for five years, impacting his potential participation in the 2027 presidential election.