SEOUL -- South Korea's Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal court's acquittal ruling on Lee Jae-myung, presidentia0l candidate of the majority liberal Democratic Party, in his election law violation case.

Cho Hee-dae, the top court's chief justice who referred the case to the full bench, delivered the ruling televised live, saying the former leader of the Democratic Party made false statements during the last presidential campaign.

The Supreme Court decided on the dismissal by 10-2, sending the case back to a high court to the effect of guilt.

On March 26, the Seoul High Court acquitted Lee of the election law violation, overturning the verdict of the Seoul Central District Court that sentenced Lee to one year in jail, suspended for two years, last November on charges of dissemination of false information during the 2022 presidential election.

Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence for Lee in the first and the appeal trials.

The Supreme Court's ruling came just about one month before the snap presidential election on June 3.