Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Judges’ meetings draw attention
By Yi Whan-woo
A spate of meetings among judges to discuss the Supreme Court’s refusal to reappoint of a renegade judge is drawing keen attention.
The Seoul Central District Court, the nation’s largest district court, and two other southern and western courts will hold the meetings tomorrow, while the judges at Suwon District Court are planning to hold a separate meeting on Tuesday.
Their decision to hold meetings came after the Supreme Court decided not to hire Seo Gi-ho, an outspoken judge critical of President Lee Myung-bak.
In what is seen as a collective grudge against the top court decision, the judges are expected to look into the Supreme Court’s fairness in its performance evaluations of judges.
“Many judges share the view that the current evaluation system is problematic,” Judge Park Jing-woong said on the intranet board.
Judges are expected to express their collective opinion on the top court’s non reappointment of Seo. Some young, reform-minded judges are expected to call for united action against the top court’s decision.
“The planned meeting will discuss the evaluation system. But they could also discuss the refusal to reappoint Judge Seo,” said a judge from the Seoul Central District Court.
They will convene the meeting at 4 p.m.
Each court had a consensus of more than one fifth of the judges, a condition to convene a meeting under regulations. Over half of the 24 judges at Seoul Western District Court will go over the ways to improve the screening process on their performance evaluations.
More than 80 judges out of 127 at the Seoul Central District Court have agreed to participate in the meeting. They will discuss the problems on the screening process of the reappointment and performance evaluation systems.
The Northern District Court, where Seo, 41, has served, will have more than one fifth its 39 judges at the Friday meeting.
The judiciary law recognizes a meeting as an advisory organization in each court and allows discussions twice a year on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, Park Sam-bong, 55, head of the Northern District Court requested his judges to withdraw from the meeting.
Seo’s term will end on Friday. The outgoing judge is preparing an individual lawsuit against the Supreme Court.
He drew public attention earlier through his controversial Facebook and Twitter messages.
Seo urged SNS users not to be “intimidated” by the government’s crackdown, or President Lee may give them a bigger “insult.”
“Don’t be intimidated, my fellow SNS friends. Or Gakha (his highness) will give you a bigger yeot (taffy),” Seo wrote, with “give you a bigger yeot” meaning that President Lee will cause the people greater problems.