◀ anchor ▶
The top judges of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, the two largest judicial institutions in Korea, are being investigated side by side by investigative agencies.
First, Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo, who refused to accept the resignation of a judge who was the subject of impeachment, sparked controversy over lies.
Constitutional Court Judge Lee Young-jin was accused of receiving golf entertainment.
Both of the top judges seem inevitable sooner or later by an investigative agency.
Reporter Son Gu-min reports.
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In February of last year, former Chief Judge Lim Seong-geun, who was the subject of the first ever impeachment of a judge at the time, released a secret recording of a conversation with Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo in 2020.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim revealed that he did not accept his resignation because he was conscious of political movements.
People’s Power has filed a complaint against Chief Justice Kim to the prosecution, saying, “I have never blocked my resignation” to the National Assembly.
At the beginning of last month, the prosecution resumed the investigation, which had been suspended for more than a year, while investigating former Chief Judge Im Seong-geun, who was the party to the revelation, as a reference.
Another Supreme Court Constitutional Court Judge Lee Young-jin is under investigation by the High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office for allegations of hospitality golf.
Last week, the Airborne Service seized and searched a businessman who served the judge with golf and meals, as well as a lawyer who arranged for him.
The head of the highest judiciary and the highest judge were the subjects of investigation by the investigative agency side by side.
An investigation into the person concerned seems inevitable sooner or later, but both the prosecution and the public prosecutor’s office are spared from saying that an investigation has not yet been decided.
In the legal circle, it is generally expected that a written investigation will be replaced by a written investigation rather than attending the investigation room as a courtesy.
However, it seems difficult to avoid the stigma of being a suspect.
[신중권/부장판사 출신 변호사]
“It’s kind of a scratch, sort of. The courts, the Supreme Court, or whatever, even the Constitutional Court, these kinds of people are being tried right now…”
In the 2019 Judicial Nongdan investigation, there was a precedent that the top judges, including Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae and Chief Justice Lim Jong-heon, were investigated.
However, it seems difficult to avoid criticism that Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo, who was accused of ‘secretly recording’ by a judge, and Justice Young-jin Lee, who was entertained, all undermined the trust of the Supreme Court of Justice.
This is Gumin Son from MBC News.
Video coverage: Kim Doo-young / Video editing: Oh Yu-rim
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