By Kim Hyun-bin
The Supreme Court will disclose documents relating to former chief justice Yang Sung-tae's allegations of controversially using trials as leverage to gain presidential approval for organizational changes.
The head of the National Court Administration (NCA) Ahn Chul-sang said Tuesday that 98 documents that were cited in a recent internal probe will be released, without disclosing the names of persons mentioned.
A special probe found that NCA wrote around 410 documents in March 2015 on how to persuade senior presidential aides with high profile cases to establish a de facto "Second Supreme Court."
Yang, who served under ousted President Park Geun-hye, allegedly influenced decisions at the Supreme Court and created a blacklist of mostly liberal judges who were opposed to the plan. Yang is accused of deliberately using politically sensitive trials as bargaining chips to curry favor with the Park administration in exchange for the establishment of the "Second Supreme Court."
Yang allegedly used cases involving unions and a former spy chief whose verdicts could affect the Park administration.
The concept of the court had been brought up to redistribute the workload of cases with the highest court. The Supreme Court would take care of high-profile or political cases while the other court would review "smaller cases."
There was opposition against this system amid concerns Supreme Court judges could further extend their power.
Current chief justice Kim Myeong-su, attended a meeting with a civic committee on reforming the judicial branch regarding Yang's allegations.
"I believe the meeting is part of gathering opinions from all levels of the judicial branch," Kim said, talking to reporters on his way to work Tuesday. "It's a courtesy to sit down with the group and hear them out."
When asked if he will attend the heads of local courts meeting on Thursday, and a national committee of judges meeting on June 11, he said a decision has not yet been made.
The civic committee on reforming the judicial branch consists of 11 members including chairman of the committee Lee Heung-hoon, who was a former justice of the Supreme Court along with judicial officials and a law professor.
Lower court judges have also called for a thorough investigation into former chief justice Yang Sung-tae allegations Monday.
"We call for a thorough and fair investigation into the abuse of power allegations," in a statement by the judges of the Seoul Central District Court. "It is deeply concerning that the public has lost faith in the judiciary due to these allegations."
Judges at all levels have been holding internal meetings to decide whether to seek criminal charges against former chief justice Yang and other judges involved in the meddling.
Yang, denied all allegations Friday.
"While serving as chief justice, I never interfered in trials or used them to bargain," Yang told the press.
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