Supreme Court Chief Accused of Libel

Park Sung-hoon (56, military judiciary) of the Daejeon District Lawyers Association brought libel charges on September 26 against Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Lee Yong-hoon for his denouncements of lawyers, submitted to the Seoul Central District Court, and requested 50 million won as indemnity.

It is the first time that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been charged and requested to pay indemnity by a practicing lawyer.

Park, who is active in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, said, “Lee visited the Gwangju High Court and District Court on September 13 and said, ‘Documents made by lawyers are mostly wordplay intended to fool people,’ and this statement is clearly false and defames the honor of lawyers.”

On the public hearing policy emphasized by Lee, Park said, “Because of this policy, the accused who may want a speedy trial could be put at a disadvantage,” and added, “After the introduction of public hearings, trials were delayed and 80 percent of the accused were held in prison for fifteen more days.”

The Supreme Court is yet to give an official response. A source at the Supreme Court only said “We hope they understand the Chief Justice’s commitment and the truth.”

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