Telephone defense

Actor Bae Yong-jun, who is best known for starring in the hit TV drama “Winter Sonata” that launched the Korean Wave, was reportedly paid more than 100 million won (95,100 U.S. dollars) per episode for his subsequent drama “The Story of the First King`s Four Gods.” Lee Byung-hun, who grew popular after starring in the drama “Iris,” is also said to have received more than 100 million won per episode in a subsequent TV series. Kim Soo-hyun, a scriptwriter for TV dramas, is paid 60 million won (57,090 dollars) per episode and Yoo Jae-seok, a popular comedian and host, also receives 10 million (9,510 dollars). For lawyers and consultants who are paid by the hour, the highest paid are known to receive 20 million won (19,030 dollars) per hour.

Certain lawyers rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees for a few phone calls. Of course, this is not something everybody can do. It is a non-legal privilege that only former high-ranking prosecutors such as the justice minister, prosecutor-general, and the deputy head of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office can relish. What they do is relatively simple. After getting a client’s request, they simply ask for a favor to the prosecutor in charge. It would be much better if they could perform magic to turn imprisonment into release. The process does not count. Only the outcome is telling.

It is common practice not to submit an official document to the lawyers’ association for a telephone defense. Such defense occurs in the stage of prosecutors before the issue is handed over to the judge. Since tax authorities cannot know whether a lawyer accepted a case, the lawyer does not pay taxes. If things go well, some “lawyers over the phone” wine and dine prosecutors as rewards. Clients sometimes make one-sided arguments and certain lawyers call prosecutors who are close to them to learn the truth. Of course, this cannot be called a "telephone defense."

The law of supply and demand applies to everything. The expensive phone defense market is flourishing because certain clients want a specific service. In particular, Koreans like networks based on blood (relatives), school and region, which lays a good foundation for former prosecutors. Hundreds of thousands of dollars is no problem for clients who desperately try to grasp straws if they have the money. These lawyers are different from Korean actors, who are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in that the lawyers earn a huge sum while hiding and talking over the phone. Lawyers should work harder to make their industry more transparent.

Editorial Writer Ha Tae-won (triplets@donga.com)