Bitter comments of a senior judge

Moon Heun-su, in his column `law and love` of a Judicial Tribune, asserted that people is turning back from lawyers because of the failure of rigid legal punishment.

Judge Moon pointed out the reason is that judges are not conscious of people under the present hierarchical judicial system for the judges have been obligated line up to the top of the chief justice of the Supreme Court. In this circumstance, judges are easily inclined to the promotion rather than to make a historical judiciary decision.

He also raised a question, "Isn’t it almost impossible to be a true judge, having a mind of being an attorney at some point?" and he added, "It is extremely abnormal all judges become attorneys after their retirement."

Judge Moon already created a stir in the judicial world, when the problem of judicial corruption had exposed, by asserting the need of reformation of judiciary system in 1999.

Lee Jung-Eun lightee@donga.com