[Seocho-dong Legal Story] This Time Kim Woong and Son Joon-sung... The Tumultuous Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 29

Selected 100 More Than Other Classes... New Generation Resisting Injustice
College Life in the 70s and 90s
Baek Hyeryun, Seo Giho, Lee Eonju, etc.
Not Hesitant to Show Outspoken Behavior
If Kim and Son Are Innocent, They Must Prove It

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The 29th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute is once again drawing public attention. Kim Woong, a member of the People Power Party and a key figure in former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's 'prosecution report' allegations, and prosecutor Son Joon-sung are classmates from the 29th class.

The 29th class is somewhat special in the legal community. They are regarded as those who brought a fresh breeze to the legal world. The 29th class entered the institute in 1998 and completed their training in 2000. At the time when the 29th class was taking the judicial examination, the government was in the process of increasing the number of successful candidates to 1,000.

Accordingly, the quota for the 29th class was significantly increased to 592 members, about 100 more than the 27th class with 315 members and the 28th class with 486 members. Because of the large intake, the characteristics and backgrounds of the 29th class members were much more diverse than those of other classes. They were the 'new generation' emerging in a legal community that was stagnant. Most of those who entered the institute in 1998 were born in the 1970s and attended university in the early 1990s. During their university years, it was the late period of former President Roh Tae-woo's administration, when public resistance to the military regime peaked. Protests to overthrow dictatorship were held daily on campuses. The 29th class was influenced by this throughout their university life.

They judge for themselves and resist when they perceive power as absolute, and boldly confront injustice. They make sure to speak out when necessary and do not hesitate to act impulsively. When entering politics, they tend to join opposition forces of the time and confront the ruling power.

Perhaps because of this, they have stood out in various incidents and led turbulent careers. This includes Baek Hye-ryun, now a member of the Democratic Party, who posted on the prosecution's internal network in November 2011 that political neutrality was not being maintained and then left the prosecution; Seo Ki-ho, a lawyer at Sangnok Law Firm, who became the center of controversy for expressing political views on his SNS account while a judge; former People Power Party member Lee Eon-ju; and former Unified Progressive Party leader Lee Jung-hee.

Within the prosecution, notable 29th class members include Yang Seok-jo, a prosecutor at Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, who committed the so-called 'funeral house insubordination' by questioning Nam Bu-ji Prosecutor General about the investigation into former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk at a fellow prosecutor's father-in-law's funeral; Shin Bong-soo, a prosecutor at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office who led investigations into allegations of Blue House's ordered investigations and election interference; and Song Kyung-ho, a prosecutor at Suwon High Prosecutors' Office. Most of them have been demoted and assigned to less significant positions.

What will happen to Representative Kim and Prosecutor Son? Representative Kim has been issuing inconsistent explanations, while Prosecutor Son remains tight-lipped, only fueling suspicions. Speculations abound, including allegations of fabricated suspicions and involvement by someone impersonating Prosecutor Son on Telegram. Son's role in directing the preparation of court analysis materials during the prosecution's 'judge surveillance' allegations that surfaced in December last year has also been reexamined, with the ruling party portraying him as an icon of prosecutorial misconduct. If they are truly innocent, shouldn't they step forward confidently in official settings, true to the spirit of the 29th class?