Top court chief rapped for ‘lukewarm’ stance over judicial abuse scandal
Criticism of Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su is mounting over what many deem a “deliberate failure” to seek due accountability of those involved in a judicial power abuse scandal.
Despite his earlier pledge in mid-June to fully cooperate with the prosecution looking into the case, Kim has since remained mum while a local court has rejected over 40 requests from the prosecution for warrants to search the offices and homes of or arrest key former and current Supreme Court officials.
Prosecutors say Kim is effectively abetting the destruction of evidence and obstructing justice. Some liberal judges’ groups and observers also question Kim’s leadership and whether he is qualified to lead judicial reform, a much-touted, long-overdue initiative spearheaded by President Moon Jae-in.
In the unprecedented high-profile scandal, Kim’s predecessor Yang Sung-tae sought to trade politically sensitive verdicts for favors from Cheong Wa Dae to establish what would have been a de facto “Second Supreme Court” under the Park Geun-hye administration.
A group of top-performing judges at the National Court Administration (NCA), the top court’s administrative body, was mobilized to draft and execute the specifics of the plan. Kim has been in a bind over the handling of the scandal, because senior judges opposed the prosecution’s involvement out of concern it could undermine judicial authority. Meanwhile, liberal judges have called for a thorough investigation and harsh punishment of those involved to sever ties from past wrongdoings and regain public trust.
Criticism against Kim became fiercer after the Seoul Central District Court rejected the prosecution’s request for a search warrant of a former Supreme Court official who began working as a lawyer Tuesday, a day after he sent emails to a number of judges — his former colleagues — asking for their “understanding.”
The former judge, Yoo Hae-yong, was suspected of having taken an unidentified number of case files subject to the top court’s review when he left the court, presumably to destroy evidence of judicial abuse.
In the email sent Monday, Yoo said he only took the files “in memory of” work at the top court. He was questioned by the prosecution Wednesday, but flatly denied seeking to use the files for personal benefit.
The files allegedly include those about suits filed by former lawmakers of the now-disbanded far-left Unified Progressive Party, as well as about a patent infringement involving plastic surgeon Kim Young-jae who was convicted of illegally performing treatments for former President Park.
While the district court took days to make a decision on whether to issue the warrant, Yoo destroyed all the files. He told the prosecution he destroyed his computer and dumped the pieces near his home.
In this situation, Kim belatedly said he would actively cooperate with the investigation.
“For the judiciary to sever ties from past wrongdoings and step forward, I believe a thorough fact-finding about the scandal and stern punishment for those involved are musts,” Kim said in a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the country’s judicial system.
Regarding the issue, President Moon said the judiciary is facing an urgent task to regain public trust.
“The trial trading and judicial power abuse scandal are shaking the public’s trust in the judiciary,” Moon said during the ceremony. “The suspicions should be made clear and the judiciary itself should correct its wrongdoings.”