South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has been acquitted on charges he persuaded a witness to lie in court to understate Lee's past criminal conviction, in a rare moment of relief from broad legal troubles that threaten to derail his political career.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted on Nov. 25 in his first trial of a perjury case in which he allegedly pressured a former mayoral secretary to make false court testimony in his favor.

South Korea's main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was cleared on Monday of charges that he forced a witness to commit perjury, the Seoul Central District Court said, in the latest of a series of legal cases that could threaten his political future.