Top court chief justice voices opposition to judges taking stand at parliamentary audit

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae appears at a parliamentary audit session on the court at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on Monday voiced opposition to undergoing questioning by lawmakers during a parliamentary audit, citing concerns over the potential impact on court trials if judges have to take the stand.

Cho made the remarks as he appeared for an audit on the Supreme Court by the parliamentary judiciary committee, which ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers have vowed to use to question him over allegations of election interference.

Cho has faced accusations of interfering in the June 3 presidential election after the Supreme Court overturned a not-guilty verdict in President Lee Jae Myung's election law violation case and sent it back to a lower court just ahead of the election.

"Trials conducted in accordance to the Constitution and conscience would be undermined if judges have to take the stand because of a trial," Cho said, noting that he appeared at the audit to follow the convention of the Supreme Court chief justice making opening and closing remarks.

Supreme Court chief justices in the past have left audit sessions on the court after opening remarks at the approval of the head of the parliamentary judiciary committee. This year, Rep. Choo Mi-ae, who heads the committee, demanded Cho undergo questioning.

Cho expressed concerns over the request of his appearance as a witness for the audit, citing a law that prohibits parliamentary audits from intervening in an ongoing trial.

The chief justice said the court had submitted answers on written questions made beforehand, adding that the head of the National Court Administration would answer remaining questions or he would answer them in his closing remarks.

Cho said judges have to take responsibility for trials they oversee but added that it was difficult to find instances of judges taking the stand for an audit because of a trial in a country governed by the rule of law with separation of powers.

Cho voiced regret over the recent controversy, noting that he felt a sense of responsibility for the current situation surrounding the judiciary.