Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, attends a Supreme Council meeting, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Opposition parties are going all out to protect main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung, who received a suspended one-year prison term for violating the election law, according to political watchers, Tuesday.

Supporters worry that Lee, who has a strong political standing within the DPK, could be disqualified from running for president in 2027 if his verdict is finalized in the Supreme Court.

If any prison sentence is finalized, Lee would be stripped of his parliamentary seat and barred from running for public office for the next 10 years. However, if he receives a fine exceeding 1 million won ($713), the ban would last for the next five years. In both cases, he would be unable to run for the 2027 presidential election.

Lee, who lost by a small margin to President Yoon Suk Yeol in the 2022 presidential race, is widely expected to run for president again in 2027.

After being convicted for violating the election law on Friday, Lee still faces charges in four other criminal cases. The verdict is due on Monday for the second one, involving charges of suborning a former mayoral secretary to provide false testimony in his favor.

On Tuesday, the prosecution indicted Lee without detention on charges of embezzling 106.5 million won from the Gyeonggi Provincial Government by misusing corporate cards and an official car during his term as provincial governor between July 2018 and October 2021.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office indicted Lee, along with his former chief of staff and a provincial government official surnamed Bae, on charges of occupational breach of trust without detention.

Experts said Lee is facing a leadership test with his criminal charges that include bribery and corruption.

"Lee's judicial risks are the biggest threat to his leadership. The Nov. 25 ruling on charges of perjury will be a watershed moment for the DPK. If Lee gets a suspended jail term again, the DPK will have no other option but to start looking for a Plan B for their presidential nominee for the 2027 presidential election. If given a lesser charge, Lee's cases will be determined by an appellate court early next year," political commentator Park Sang-byeong said.

Lawmakers and officials of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea hold a rally at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday, to call for a special counsel to investigate first lady Kim Keon Hee. Yonhap

Friday's guilty verdict has strengthened the opposition's demands for an investigation into allegations of election meddling and other accusations involving President Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee. Lee seems relentless in fighting off some charges, saying he will appeal as it is difficult to accept the conclusion beginning with the basic facts.

The DPK continued to hold outdoor rallies against President Yoon. Some DPK lawmakers, who have been taking a hardline stance on the government, threatened to oust the president from power and proposed a constitutional amendment to shorten the president's term.

The DPK condemned the prosecution's indictment filed on Tuesday as an attempt to further suppress the opposition.

"The police investigation has already revealed that Lee Jae-myung is innocent. However, the prosecution has decided to revive the case and indict him," Rep. Jo Seoung-lae, a senior DPK spokesperson, said. "The prosecution's intention is clear. It wants to tie the hands and feet of the leader of the largest opposition party who has overwhelming public support and confine him in court."

The minor opposition Rebuilding Korea of Party (RKP) accused the judges of suppressing freedom of expression, an act they said could ultimately diminish democracy.

"Just because Rep. Lee got a one-year suspended prison term does not mean that the charges against the presidential couple go away. We will unveil the draft of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment bill' on Wednesday," RKP spokesperson Kim Bo-hyup said.

In response, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has ramped up its criticism of the DPK's actions, focusing on Lee's legal troubles.

"The DPK leadership continues to hold outdoor rallies and does not hesitate to make all kinds of provocative remarks. Political attacks on the judiciary show that the party has lost even the slightest sense of reason," PPP spokesperson Kim Hye-ran said.