(News Focus) Controversial court rulings deepen ideological feud

(ATTN: MODIFIES lead; UPDATES court's reaction in 8th para; ADDS prosecution meeting
near bottom)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- Political and social controversy was growing here over
a string of acquittals of people who have been indicted on politically sensitive
issues.
The latest controversial sentence came on Wednesday when a lower court acquitted
staff at MBC, the nation's leading broadcaster, who were charged with defamation
and intentionally distorting facts in a report on mad cow disease that helped
fuel weeks of street protests in 2008 against U.S. beef imports.
Earlier Thursday, a group of enraged conservative activists threw eggs at the
official vehicle of Chief Justice Lee Yong-hun on his way to work. Standing in
front of Lee's residence in central Seoul, about 50 protesters called for his
resignation, shouting, "Take responsibility for the left-leaning court ruling."
"I threw the egg after watching the court rule against common sense," said Chu
Seon-hui, one of the protesters. "Rep. Kang Ki-kab was found not guilty for his
violence in the National Assembly, so I wonder whether they can charge me on
this."
Chu was referring to the acquittal last week of Rep. Kang, head of the
progressive Democratic Labor Party, who was indicted for obstructing official
parliamentary duties while protesting a bill on the South Korea-U.S. free trade
agreement early last year.
The farmer-turned-legislator was accused of throwing furniture in the National
Assembly speaker's office, assaulting parliamentary security guards and using
foul language in his protest.
The court ruled he was merely blowing off steam and was entitled to "protest" as
a party leader. Prosecutors immediately appealed the case, and some civic groups
threatened to go after the judge who presided over Kang's trial by holding a
rally in front of his house.
"Each party could have different thoughts and opinions, but this kind of
irrational use of physical force (of the civic groups) cannot be accepted," Oh
Seok-jun, public relations officer at the Supreme Court, said.
Ahn Sang-soo, floor leader of the ruling GNP, took a shot at the chief justice,
urging him to take responsibility for the "left-leaning judicial branch" and
calling Wednesday's ruling on MBC's report an example of "judicial politics."
"The ruling, which shocked the medical circle, the people and even those within
the court, does not prove the court's judicial independence, but judicial
self-righteousness," the legislator, a former prosecutor himself, said during a
meeting with party leaders.
Opposition parties denounced Ahn's remark, saying the ruling party is trying to
undermine the judiciary branch by replacing the chief justice, who was appointed
in 2005 by then President Roh Moo-hyun, a liberal.
"Why are they going on a witch hunt without following legal procedures to appeal
the case?" Rep. Park Joo-sun of the Democratic Party said. "This is an attempt by
the ruling party to shake the judiciary and a throughly planned strategy to
replace the chief justice with someone in their camp."
The court has refrained from giving an official response to what it sees as
external political pressure aimed at influencing future rulings.
According to court officials, a series of hot-potato cases will go to trial this
year, including those involving the anti-government statements made last year by
a teachers union and a public workers union and the recent railway strike.
Amid deepening the standoff with the court, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office held
its first video conference earlier Thursday, with some 1,700 prosecutors
attending under the lead of Prosecutor General Kim Joon-gyu.
Although officials said the unprecedented meeting was scheduled as part of the
prosecution's yearly plan to open more channels of dialogue among prosecutors,
observers expected the meeting could touch on issues of the recent uncomfortable
relationship with the court.
However, the chief stayed away from mentioning current issues during the one-hour
meeting and called for "unity" among prosecutors.
"The surrounding situation (of prosecution) is in confusion these days, but I
hope prosecutors stand fair and square," Kim said. "There is no other way but to
faithful to prosecutors' own duty and responsibility."
An official at a civic group expressed his worry about the controversy and its
influence on judges.
"Taking extreme action on certain (rulings) according to political affiliation
could have a very negative impact on the judges who make decisions based on their
conscience regardless of external opinion," said Go Gye-heon at the Citizens'
Coalition for Economic Justice.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)