Jung Kyung-shim, wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who has been indicted on charges including school admission corruption involving her children and suspicions of private equity fund investments, is attending the first trial sentencing hearing held on the afternoon of the 23rd at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Attention is focused on Chief Judge Lim Jeongyeop (50, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 28), who sentenced Jung Kyungshim, a professor at Dongyang University and wife of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, to prison. Chief Judge Lim is also known for sentencing Captain Lee Joonseok to 36 years in prison in relation to the Sewol ferry disaster.
Chief Judge Lim was born in Seoul and graduated from Daesung High School and Seoul National University’s Department of Public Law. After passing the 38th Judicial Examination, he served as a judge at Suwon District Court, Seoul Western District Court, Changwon District Court, and Seoul High Court. He worked at the Bucheon branch of Incheon District Court and is currently serving at the Seoul Central District Court.
In 2014, while serving at Gwangju District Court, Chief Judge Lim presided over the first trial of Captain Lee Joonseok and other crew members who were prosecuted for responsibility in the Sewol ferry disaster.
At that time, he did not recognize the murder charges applied to them but found most of the other charges to be guilty. He sentenced Captain Lee to 36 years in prison. Chief Judge Lim received positive evaluations for conducting the trial with consideration for the victims while maintaining impartiality.
At the end of the same year, he was selected as one of nine outstanding judges by the Gwangju Bar Association. He also left behind the 'First Trial White Paper on the Sewol Ferry Accident,' which contains behind-the-scenes stories of the trial.
Chief Judge Lim handled civil trials at the Seoul Central District Court before moving to the criminal division in February. Recently, he took charge of the case involving allegations of illegal succession of management rights by Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and held the first trial in October.
During the trial of Professor Jung, Chief Judge Lim was known for conducting an efficient trial with a firm attitude. When the trial did not proceed smoothly, he reportedly pointed out issues without exception to prosecutors and lawyers alike. He also warned witnesses who avoided the point of questions or whose statements changed during cross-examination that "they could be punished for perjury."
This trial of Professor Jung experienced one change in the panel due to the court’s regular personnel reshuffle in February. Previously, Chief Judge Song Inkwon led the trial, but after the reshuffle, he was transferred to the Seoul Southern District Court, and the panel was replaced. Subsequently, Chief Judges Lim Jeongyeop, Kwon Seongsu, and Kim Seonhee jointly took over and continued the trial.
Meanwhile, Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party and former prosecutor, expressed concern on his Facebook on the same day regarding the guilty verdict against Professor Jung, saying, "I am worried that attacks on judges will now begin."
Referring to the 'meeting with five key figures' held at the Blue House the day before (22nd), Kim said, "It is unusual that the President suddenly called the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or that ruling party lawmakers are bringing up impeachment of judges," and pointed out, "It seems we are currently in a cultural revolution similar to China’s Cultural Revolution."
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