Courtroom 417 hosts landmark trials
By Kim Bo-eun
Seoul Central District Court’s criminal courtroom 417, where former President Park Geun-hye’s first hearing in her corruption trial was held Tuesday, has hosted the nation’s most monumental trials.
With 150 seats, the courtroom is the largest within the court and the Seoul High Court is in the same building. It is the nation’s third largest courtroom after the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.
The courtroom has hosted the trials of former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who were indicted on charges of mutiny and treason as well as creating slush funds.
Park is now the third president to be tried as a defendant in the courtroom.
In addition, former President Kim Young-sam’s son Hyun-chul was tried on charges of bribery and tax evasion, and former President Lee Myung-bak’s older brother and ex-lawmaker Lee Sang-deuk on influence-peddling charges. The late President Choi Kyu-hah also attended a trial there as a witness.
Not only former presidents and their family members, but also business tycoons such as Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hanhwa Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn had their first and second hearings there.
More recently, Park’s long-time friend Choi Soon-sil, who is at the center of the influence-peddling and corruption scandal which led to Park’s removal from office, is also being tried in the courtroom. Choi was present at Park’s hearing, Tuesday.
In addition, Park’s former aides An Chong-bum and Jeong Ho-seong, as well as Choi’s friend Cha Eun-taek and her niece Jang Si-ho are also being tried there for their involvement in the scandal.
Moreover, trials for former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon and ex-Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun are also being held there for their involvement in drawing up a blacklist of artists critical of the Park administration.
The judging uses the courtroom when the case is of great public interest, and is expected to draw a large audience, and many legal representatives and witnesses are set to attend.
The audience was selected among applicants from the public through a draw. The judging panel allowed the press to take photos of the trial, based on the people’s right to be informed.