On January 20, 2026, Seoul Central District Court fully acquitted former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil in his high-profile bribery and election law violation case, ending a nearly four-year legal battle that had sidelined one of the party’s most prominent progressive figures.
The court ruled that prosecutors failed to prove Song received illegal political funds from a businessman or violated the Public Official Election Act during his 2021 party leadership bid. Song, who had been under investigation since 2022 and barred from party activities during the trial, immediately declared his intention to return to active politics within the Democratic Party.
At a press conference following the verdict, Song declared: “They unjustly framed and persecuted me, but truth and justice have prevailed. I will return to the Democratic Party to contribute to President Lee Jae-myung’s successful administration and the advancement of progressive values.”
Song’s acquittal removes a major legal obstacle and intensifies internal party dynamics. As a leading voice of the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction, his return could strengthen the president’s grip on the DPK while alarming moderate and anti-Lee elements who view Song as a polarizing figure. Opposition People Power Party lawmakers dismissed the acquittal as evidence of a politicized judiciary under the current administration.
