Ruling Party Agitated by 'Lee Jae-myung Dismissal,' Launches Relentless 'Judicial Shield' Offensive

People Power Party Cancels Holiday Greetings and Holds Emergency Party Meeting
Mentions Judge's Name, Accusing "Political Bias"
Fierce Attack with "Release of Voters Without Detention" Slogan

The People Power Party (PPP) expressed a heated reaction on the 27th, targeting the judiciary for dismissing the arrest warrant against Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, calling it a "nonsensical decision" and "the judiciary endorsing a shielded act."

People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun and floor leader Yoon Jae-ok, among others, are shouting slogans condemning the dismissal of the arrest warrant for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung at the party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the same day, the PPP canceled all scheduled Chuseok holiday greetings and held an emergency party meeting. Leader Kim Ki-hyun criticized, "This is a result of 'selective release and selective detention' decided by whether one holds power," adding, "Although there is suspicion of guilt and the charges are substantiated, the conclusion was a nonsensical decision to dismiss the warrant."

Kim stated, "Presiding Judge Yoo Chang-hoon of the Seoul Central District Court acknowledged there was considerable suspicion of the suspect's involvement in the Baekhyun-dong case and the Ssangbangwool illegal North Korea remittance case, and that the charge of witness tampering was substantiated, yet still dismissed the warrant." Naming the judge in charge, he added, "Judge Yoo argued that considering the suspect is a sitting party leader subject to public scrutiny and criticism, it is difficult to conclude there is a risk of evidence destruction. This logic is utterly absurd."

He continued, "Although there is suspicion of guilt and the charges are substantiated, the conclusion was a nonsensical decision to dismiss the warrant," and said, "If this logic is applied, no matter how famous a person is, there would be no risk of evidence destruction, so they would be released without detention. There is no other explanation for this illogical decision than the influence of power as a party leader."

Kim added, "Today once again revealed that the judiciary has been tainted by politically biased judges," and said, "The reality that some judges do not even uphold basic judicial ethics according to their political leanings has been starkly exposed to the public."

He emphasized, "Although justice and common sense have temporarily regressed due to Judge Yoo's politically biased sophistry, the People Power Party will continue to build a country where common sense prevails, justice is upheld, and equality before the law applies to all. The dismissal of the warrant does not mean innocence."

Yoon Jae-ok, the PPP floor leader, also said, "It seems as if the conclusion to dismiss was predetermined, and the reasoning does not make sense," adding, "The main reasons for dismissal were that it is difficult to conclude there is a risk of evidence destruction and the need to guarantee the defendant's right to defense, which is hard to accept."

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Yoon added, "Given the court’s absurd explanation for dismissal, it is hard not to think that the judgment was not purely based on legal principles but yielded to pressure from the Democratic Party and its hardline supporters," and said, "The court did not judge that the evidence was insufficient. The Democratic Party should remember that dismissal does not mean innocence and should not falsely incite as if a pardon was granted."

Jeon Ju-hye, a former judge and PPP lawmaker, said in a public statement at the party meeting, "This is a contradictory conclusion like saying 'I drank alcohol but did not drive drunk' as a reason for dismissal," and criticized, "Regarding evidence destruction, since the court recognized that the charge of witness tampering was substantially substantiated, it can be seen as a precedent for evidence destruction, yet it is contradictory to say there is no risk of evidence destruction by the suspect."

She also said, "Whether being a party leader and thus a subject of public scrutiny and criticism can be considered as having no risk of evidence destruction is a reason difficult to gain public sympathy," and explained, "Right after losing the presidential election, Lee ran for a shielded candidacy in Incheon Gyeyang-eul, and because he was uneasy, he also ran for party leader. Therefore, the conclusion that there is no risk of evidence destruction because he became party leader is the judiciary endorsing a shielded act."