ID :
49721
Tue, 03/10/2009 - 04:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/49721
The shortlink copeid
Supreme Court justice questioned in influence-peddling scandal
SEOUL, March 9 (Yonhap) -- A Supreme Court justice was questioned Monday about allegations that he attempted to influence the outcome of trials in which protesters were charged with organizing or participating in illegal rallies against U.S. beef imports.
Justice Shin Young-chul is accused of sending seven confidential emails to junior
judges between October and November last year, when he was serving as head of the
Seoul Central District Court, asking them to speed up the trials of individuals
arrested for violence during the months-long anti-U.S beef rallies.
Last summer, thousands of people took to the streets in late-night rallies
against Seoul's decision to resume U.S. beef imports. Outdoor nighttime rallies
are banned in South Korea, and police arrested more than 1,000 protesters on
charges of violating the demonstration law.
A group of investigators from the Supreme Court also questioned Shin, who was
promoted to the Supreme Court post last month, about whether he met the chief of
the Constitutional Court or wrote any other messages to his junior judges in
addition to the seven emails.
In October, one of the judges petitioned the Constitutional Court to look into
the legitimacy of the law banning the outdoor demonstrations after sunset.
Following the petition, another judge suspended a trial and allowed two
defendants to be released on bail.
If a case is referred to the Constitutional Court, the case and other related
trials are generally postponed until the top court makes a final decision. Shin
is suspected of having met the chief justice of the Constitutional Court to
inspect the schedule of legal proceedings.
Shin allegedly sent one of his emails a few days after the petition was filed,
asking the judges to continue with the criminal trial regardless of the
constitutional procedure.
The Supreme Court investigators also said they contacted each of the junior
judges who received emails from Shin. Some judges were quoted as saying they felt
they were being oppressed when they read the emails.
Shin has argued that he simply wanted to advise the judges to conduct their
trials on the basis of the current law.
The investigators will determine whether Shin's behavior exhibited proper
judicial administration or an excessive attempt to intervene in legal
proceedings.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
Justice Shin Young-chul is accused of sending seven confidential emails to junior
judges between October and November last year, when he was serving as head of the
Seoul Central District Court, asking them to speed up the trials of individuals
arrested for violence during the months-long anti-U.S beef rallies.
Last summer, thousands of people took to the streets in late-night rallies
against Seoul's decision to resume U.S. beef imports. Outdoor nighttime rallies
are banned in South Korea, and police arrested more than 1,000 protesters on
charges of violating the demonstration law.
A group of investigators from the Supreme Court also questioned Shin, who was
promoted to the Supreme Court post last month, about whether he met the chief of
the Constitutional Court or wrote any other messages to his junior judges in
addition to the seven emails.
In October, one of the judges petitioned the Constitutional Court to look into
the legitimacy of the law banning the outdoor demonstrations after sunset.
Following the petition, another judge suspended a trial and allowed two
defendants to be released on bail.
If a case is referred to the Constitutional Court, the case and other related
trials are generally postponed until the top court makes a final decision. Shin
is suspected of having met the chief justice of the Constitutional Court to
inspect the schedule of legal proceedings.
Shin allegedly sent one of his emails a few days after the petition was filed,
asking the judges to continue with the criminal trial regardless of the
constitutional procedure.
The Supreme Court investigators also said they contacted each of the junior
judges who received emails from Shin. Some judges were quoted as saying they felt
they were being oppressed when they read the emails.
Shin has argued that he simply wanted to advise the judges to conduct their
trials on the basis of the current law.
The investigators will determine whether Shin's behavior exhibited proper
judicial administration or an excessive attempt to intervene in legal
proceedings.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
