A South Korean court denied an arrest order for the head of the main opposition party, Lee Jae-myung, on bribery and breach of duty accusations early Wednesday, handing the former presidential candidate a lifeline in his quest for political survival.
The Seoul Central District Court decided against prosecutors who sought the detention of Democratic Party chairman Lee Jae-myung, finding there were insufficient grounds to substantiate their claim that he could try to destroy evidence.
Lee thanked the court and appreciated the judgment as he walked out of a holding center shortly after the ruling, which came far after midnight.
The criminal charges against Lee have not been dropped.
The arrest warrant review, according to Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, is part of a continuing process, and the court’s decision does not mean Lee is innocent.
Lee has accused the prosecutors of pursuing a politically motivated case against him and has denied any wrongdoing, describing the claims as “fiction” and a “political conspiracy.”
