Ruling Party Lashes Out at Chief Justice Again
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Senior lawmakers of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) criticized leaders of the Supreme Court again Wednesday, alleging that when they practiced as lawyers they took advantage of connections they had made previously as judges.
They stepped up criticism of Chief Justice Lee Yong-hoon and Justice Park Si-hwan, signaling the party's determination to overhaul the judiciary.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) agreed over the need for reform, but it wants to change the way prosecution works, not the judiciary.
Floor leaders of the two parties agreed to set up a special bipartisan committee aimed at reforming the judiciary and the prosecution, and preventing lawyers from overcharging clients.
The committee, which will be chaired by a GNP lawmaker, will be comprised of 20 legislators from both parties.
GNP Floor Leader Ahn Sang-soo called for the committee members to come up with measures as soon as possible so that they can be passed in the National Assembly no later than April.
Rep. Joo Sung-young of the GNP called Chief Justice Lee and Justice Park figures that symbolically represent the three ideologies in the current judiciary ― elitism, the caste system and aristocracy.
``They have built their own castle in the judiciary based on these three principles, and blocked those outside the circle from access to it,'' said Joo.
The lawmaker claimed Lee and Park had benefitted from the court's ``practice'' of ruling in favor of judges-turned-lawyers.
``Prior to becoming chief justice, Lee earned 6 billion won (approximately $5.2 million) over five years when he was a lawyer. About 70 percent of the cases that he handled were ruled on in the Supreme Court,'' said Joo.
Before taking cases as a lawyer, Lee served as a Supreme Court justice.
Rep. Joo alleged that the amount of income Lee made while he was a lawyer couldn't be explained without special consideration given to him by the courts.
The lawmaker said Justice Park also received preferential treatment as a justice-turned-lawyer, saying he earned an average 90 million (approximately $78,000) won per month when he was a lawyer.
The two figures in the Supreme Court were under fire for their sympathetic attitude toward or involvement in a discussion group comprised of liberal judges.
Earlier, the GNP alleged that Lee, who was named chief justice during the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration, gave special consideration to liberals who were members of the group.
Park is a former president of the group.
Senior GNP lawmakers pointed to the judges as the source of the controversial rulings on recent major cases, saying their political orientation had influenced their decisions.
Several members of the group were called upon for key posts during the Roh administration, including former Justice Minister Kang Keum-sil.