[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Constitutional Court on the 8th dismissed the recusation request filed by former Busan High Court Chief Judge Im Seong-geun, the first judge to be impeached over allegations of abuse of judicial administrative power, against Justice Lee Seok-tae.
The Constitutional Court announced that it unanimously dismissed the recusation request against Justice Lee, who is presiding over the current impeachment trial. All justices participated in the decision.
The court judged that it is difficult to consider the past background of Justice Lee, which was raised as an issue by former Chief Judge Im's side, as an "objective circumstance" that would make a fair trial unlikely. Eight constitutional justices, excluding Justice Lee, participated in the deliberation on the recusation.
Previously, former Chief Judge Im's side filed the recusation request, arguing that Justice Lee, having served as the chairman of the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Commission and president of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society, could not be expected to make an impartial judgment. According to the Constitutional Court Act, if there are circumstances that make a fair trial difficult for a constitutional justice, the parties to the trial may file a recusation request.
With the Constitutional Court's dismissal of former Chief Judge Im's recusation request, the impeachment trial procedure, which had been suspended, is expected to resume. The impeachment trial of former Chief Judge Im will proceed as scheduled with the participation of all nine justices. The court plans to set a date for preparatory arguments soon.
Former Chief Judge Im was impeached by the National Assembly on the 4th of last month while on trial for intervening in the trial of the Seoul bureau chief of the Japanese Sankei Shimbun, who was indicted for defamation for reporting on former President Park Geun-hye's "scandal rumors" on the day of the Sewol ferry sinking.
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