Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho denies meeting people regarding Lee's case

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae fixes his glasses at the Supreme Court in Seoul, Sept. 12. Yonhap

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on Wednesday denied having meetings with any outside figure before ruling on President Lee Jae Myung's election law violation charges.

In a statement released by the National Court Administration under the Supreme Court, Cho refuted allegations raised against him in political circles that he had met former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to discuss how to handle Lee's case and made a comment that undermined the top court's impartiality.

"We are clearly stating that Cho has not met former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo or any outside figure regarding this case and that Cho has never had any conversation or meeting with other people as alleged," the statement read.

On Tuesday, Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Boo Seung-chan accused Cho of telling Han at a luncheon on April 7 that the Supreme Court would handle Lee's case as it sees fit if it reached the top court.

Boo claimed that the luncheon took place three days after the Constitutional Court upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, which triggered the presidential election in June. The lawmaker also charged that Cho, on top of damaging the court's objectivity, was also trying to defend insurrection brought on by Yoon's martial law imposition and put Han in office.

Lee was awaiting a Supreme Court ruling at the time on election law violation charges.

Cho has faced calls from DPK leader Jung Chung-rae and other lawmakers for his resignation, accusing him of shielding figures implicated in Yoon's failed martial law attempt by delaying their trials.

Responding to the statement, the DPK said Cho "has already lost his qualifications as the chief justice of the Supreme Court."

"If he has any affection left for the judiciary, he has to decide on his future and reveal the truth through a thorough investigation," the DPK's senior spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said.

Park also wondered why Cho was so willing to discuss his personal affairs when he had been silent on more serious matters, such as Yoon's martial law imposition. Park argued that the public is calling for judicial reform precisely because of a "few bad apples" like Cho.

The DPK also said it had received tips from multiple sources that could back Boo's allegations against Cho.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) blasted the DPK for its "deplorable and shameless political maneuvering" targeting Cho.

"The DPK has invented a story about the chief justice's meeting with Han Duck-soo and fabricated words that don't even exist, and it's trying to turn him into a political sacrificial lamb," PPP spokesperson Choi Eun-suk said. "The independence of the judiciary is guaranteed by the Constitution. Acts of fabrication and instigation that threaten this are national crimes that violate the Constitutional order. We will not just ignore the Democratic Party of Korea's cruel political attack on the judiciary."