Reappointment of Presiding Judge in Major Cases Including 'Daejang-dong Development Allegations'

466 District Court Chief Judges and a Total of 870 Judges Personnel Changes

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Most of the presiding judges and chief judges at the Seoul Central District Court, who are handling major cases such as the Daejang-dong development allegations, have been retained.

On the 3rd, the Supreme Court announced personnel changes for a total of 870 judges, including 466 district court chief judges and 404 district court judges.

Lee Jun-cheol, chief judge of the Criminal Division 22 at Seoul Central District Court, who is handling the breach of trust case involving the Daejang-dong group and the bribery case of former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, has been retained.

Cho Byung-gu, chief judge of the Criminal Division 23, who is presiding over the trial of Jeong Jin-sang, former political coordination officer of Representative Lee’s office, related to preferential treatment in the Wirye and Daejang-dong development cases, as well as the trial of Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute, indicted for illegal presidential election fund receipt, has also remained.

The Criminal Division 21-3 (chief judges Jang Yong-beom, Ma Seong-yong, Kim Jeong-gon), which is hearing the Moon Jae-in administration’s alleged interference in the Ulsan mayoral election case, and the Criminal Division 25-2 (chief judges Park Jeong-je, Park Sa-rang, Park Jeong-gil), handling the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation allegations, have also been retained.

Judges with experience in rehabilitation and bankruptcy cases have been concentratedly assigned to the newly opening Suwon Rehabilitation Court and Busan Rehabilitation Court next month.

In this personnel announcement, the Supreme Court submitted nine major judicial administrative advisory meeting agenda items, including ▲ family and juvenile specialized judges ▲ Supreme Court judicial research judges ▲ Judicial Policy Research Institute research fellows ▲ Judicial Research and Training Institute professors ▲ Constitutional Court dispatched researchers ▲ new high court judges ▲ support chiefs ▲ long-term service judges ▲ medical and construction specialized judges.

This year, a total of 40 district court chief judges and judges (32 chief judges, 4 Supreme Court judicial research judges, 4 judges) will leave the court, which is 10 fewer than last year’s 50 (40 chief judges, 5 judicial research judges, 4 judges, 1 Judicial Research and Training Institute professor).