Kwon Seok-cheon, JoongAng Ilbo columnist
– “I gave myself to the court. I didn’t even go on vacation and lived as a member of the National Assembly.”
Im Seong-geun impeachment trial begins.
Kim Myung-soo is hiding behind the “deep apple”
Which Supreme Court Chief Should I Choose
– At the end of March 2017, the 8th floor of the Ilsan Judicial Research and Training Institute. An angry voice was streaming through the closed door. The person who vomited resentment was Jong-heon Lim, former deputy chief of the Court Administration Department. He appealed for resentment by telling the court how much he loved the court before judges investigating allegations of abuse of the judicial administration. There was a particularly prominence. ‘Being a member of the National Assembly’.
Part of the meaning was revealed in January 2019 when the prosecution prosecution additionally prosecuted former deputy chief Lim. The indictment contained suspicion of a request for trial by lawmakers. In the process of the trial, former deputy chief Lim said, “It is true that the complaint was delivered, but I have not asked the court for an election.” “Foreign public affairs is an important task of the administration, so I had to pay attention to solving civil complaints… .”
Give & Take. In order for the court to secure the necessary budget and avoid unfair damage, it must pretend to take care of the complaints of lawmakers. Yes. The abuse of judicial administration was not something that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and several judges had fought in the air. It happened while watching the judicial powers harmonized with the powers of the Blue House and the National Assembly and looked after each other.
Let’s go back to the time in September 2017, when a vote was about to vote on the appointment of Supreme Court Chief Kim Myung-soo. At the request of Chief Justice Kim, Lee Min-geol, the head of the Planning and Coordination Office of the Court Administration Department at the time, and Deputy Judge Im Seong-geun, were mobilized in the lobby of opposition lawmakers. It is pointed out that it is “another abuse of authority” that forced incumbent judges to do nothing without obligation. You might say that it wasn’t the first time judges turned the phone for the Chief Justice. However, at the time, it was a sharp situation due to the’Judongnongdan’ situation.
Don’t get me wrong. Nongdan (壟斷) does not mean’bad intentions’ by’bad people’. ‘Good people’ do it with’good intentions’. The recipe is the arrogance of “we’re right” and the ease of “isn’t that all right?” So there is nothing more dangerous than saying “I am different” yourself. Perhaps Supreme Court Chief Kim, who set up a corner with’Judongnongdan’ as the court chief, fell into his own trap.
Moreover, he said to a junior judge who was involved in the allegations, “Do not resign. I will protect you.” The promise was not kept. Did your mind change as the situation changed, or did you not have a desire to do so in the first place? The reason why Judge Lim Seong-geun pressed the record button during an interview with Supreme Court Chief Kim Seong-geun must be at the edge. Still, I can’t nod my head for revealing the recorded file. One judge says. “When I think of Director Lim, my heart hurts, and when I think of Chief Justice Kim, my head hurts.”
Now, the impeachment trial proceeds against Judge Im. This judgment should not only deal with whether one judge is dismissed. What is the independence of the trial, what the court should do to protect the independence of the trial, and how the court and the Blue House and the National Assembly should have a relationship. Regardless of which direction the conclusion comes from, these issues must be dealt with to be considered a constitutional judgment.
To do this, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, representing the current judiciary, must make a clear position to the judges. If there is a part to reflect on the suspicions raised toward you, you must reflect on it, and if there is a part to be responsible, you must take responsibility. How long will you be hiding behind the words “I deeply apologize and apologize” (February 4). Shouldn’t we have to give any answer to the criticism that “when you look at the court’s greetings, you’re rather like a royal Supreme Court chief”?
There have been many crises in the courts. Some took responsibility in front of the people, others only thought about their own comfort, and others lost time while agonizing. There are not many options. If Chief Justice Kim keeps silent while looking at “various influences” and “political situations”, he will be recorded as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who only thought about his own comfort. Immediately after being nominated for the Supreme Court, he said, “the level of a person who has only tried in court for 31 years and 5 months. Now is the time to show that level.
Kwon Seok-cheon, JoongAng Ilbo columnist
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