'Judicial Farming Scandal' Lee Gyu-jin and Lee Min-geol Partially Guilty in 2nd Trial... Sentence Reduced

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former judges who were indicted and found guilty in the first trial for their involvement in the so-called 'judicial scandal' during former Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae's tenure received some guilty verdicts again in the appellate trial.

The Criminal Division 13 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Choi Soo-hwan, Choi Sung-bo, Jung Hyun-mi) on the 27th sentenced Lee Min-geol, former Director of Planning and Coordination at the Court Administration Office, who was charged with abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, to a fine of 15 million won, and Lee Gyu-jin, former standing member of the Supreme Court Sentencing Commission, to one year in prison with a two-year probation.

Compared to the first trial where former Director Lee Min-geol was sentenced to 10 months in prison with a two-year probation, and former standing member Lee Gyu-jin was sentenced to one year and six months in prison with a three-year probation, the sentences have been reduced. The appellate court maintained the guilty verdicts from the first trial but overturned some charges to not guilty, resulting in this outcome.

Former Director Lee was found guilty of attempting to dismantle the International Human Rights Law Research Association and the Judicial System Small Group for Human Rights Protection (Insamo), which were groups of judges critical of judicial administration during former Chief Justice Yang’s tenure, as well as ordering to find out the inclinations of the trial panel handling cases involving members of the National Assembly.

Former standing member Lee was found guilty of intervening in lawsuits confirming the status of former Unified Progressive Party National Assembly members and local council members, and of using dispatched judges to collect internal case information and trends from the Constitutional Court.