By Choi Ha-young
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) proposed a National Assembly probe, Thursday, into an escalating influence-peddling scandal involving former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae.
While Yang was in office, the Supreme Court allegedly made rulings in favor of the Park Geun-hye government, especially about sensitive labor-related cases, based on behind-the-scenes deals.
The court's fact-finding team revealed a court document supporting this allegation on May 25. The document showed Yang masterminded favorable rulings for the government to "persuade" Cheong Wa Dae to form an appellate court, a longtime dream of Yang.
The document included some trials in which the court ruled in support of the Park administration's policy goals. Yang listed the Supreme Court's unfavorable rulings on laid-off workers at the state-run KTX train service and also at SsangYong Motor, calling the cases "judiciary's cooperation with the government."
A week after the documents were drawn up in late July 2015, Yang met President Park on Aug. 6.
The scandal is stirring up public anger. The ruling party blasted Yang over using judiciary power as a bargaining chip with the administration.
"The DPK offers a legislative inspection of the case. We are looking forward to bipartisan cooperation on this," DPK lawmaker Jin Sun-mee, vice floor leader of the ruling party, said in a regular meeting, Thursday.
"Yang's Supreme Court seriously undermined the division of powers. Without eradicating the problems, citizens can't trust the court."
The DPK is calling for legislative action on this, since the court's special investigative team refused to request the prosecutors' investigation. For Kim Myeong-su, incumbent chief of the Supreme Court, it's burdensome to do so, considering the independence of the judiciary.
Party floor leader Hong Young-pyo, a former union leader at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), also lashed out at the cozy relations between the conservative government and the Supreme Court.
"Yang especially distorted rulings on labor issues, such as employees at KTX, disqualification against the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, strikes at state-run KORAIL and the ordinary wage," Hong said.
"Particularly about the ordinary wage, a thorny issue between labor and management, Yang said the court tried to understand the stance of business circles. Yang also stipulated the court's efforts to back up Park's labor reform drives. Who allowed the court to do so? We should firmly correct such wrongful rulings."
Other than labor issues, Yang also allegedly intervened in rulings on state compensation for victims of state violence under Park's father Park Chung-hee, who took control of Korea in 1961 and led the country until 1979. In the documents, Yang said the court limited compensation for victims. Yang also attempted to punish some judges who ruled in favor of the victims.
This is not the first time Yang has caused trouble. He is also suspected of drawing up a blacklist against liberal-minded judges. Some judges claim Yang illicitly inspected their emails and family affairs.
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| Yang Sung-tae |
While Yang was in office, the Supreme Court allegedly made rulings in favor of the Park Geun-hye government, especially about sensitive labor-related cases, based on behind-the-scenes deals.
The court's fact-finding team revealed a court document supporting this allegation on May 25. The document showed Yang masterminded favorable rulings for the government to "persuade" Cheong Wa Dae to form an appellate court, a longtime dream of Yang.
The document included some trials in which the court ruled in support of the Park administration's policy goals. Yang listed the Supreme Court's unfavorable rulings on laid-off workers at the state-run KTX train service and also at SsangYong Motor, calling the cases "judiciary's cooperation with the government."
A week after the documents were drawn up in late July 2015, Yang met President Park on Aug. 6.
The scandal is stirring up public anger. The ruling party blasted Yang over using judiciary power as a bargaining chip with the administration.
"The DPK offers a legislative inspection of the case. We are looking forward to bipartisan cooperation on this," DPK lawmaker Jin Sun-mee, vice floor leader of the ruling party, said in a regular meeting, Thursday.
"Yang's Supreme Court seriously undermined the division of powers. Without eradicating the problems, citizens can't trust the court."
The DPK is calling for legislative action on this, since the court's special investigative team refused to request the prosecutors' investigation. For Kim Myeong-su, incumbent chief of the Supreme Court, it's burdensome to do so, considering the independence of the judiciary.
Party floor leader Hong Young-pyo, a former union leader at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), also lashed out at the cozy relations between the conservative government and the Supreme Court.
"Yang especially distorted rulings on labor issues, such as employees at KTX, disqualification against the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, strikes at state-run KORAIL and the ordinary wage," Hong said.
"Particularly about the ordinary wage, a thorny issue between labor and management, Yang said the court tried to understand the stance of business circles. Yang also stipulated the court's efforts to back up Park's labor reform drives. Who allowed the court to do so? We should firmly correct such wrongful rulings."
Other than labor issues, Yang also allegedly intervened in rulings on state compensation for victims of state violence under Park's father Park Chung-hee, who took control of Korea in 1961 and led the country until 1979. In the documents, Yang said the court limited compensation for victims. Yang also attempted to punish some judges who ruled in favor of the victims.
This is not the first time Yang has caused trouble. He is also suspected of drawing up a blacklist against liberal-minded judges. Some judges claim Yang illicitly inspected their emails and family affairs.
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