After the Supreme Court remanded the case of Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, for a guilty verdict on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, voices within the party are calling for the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee Dae and other justices.
Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is talking with elderly residents during his second day of the "Listening Tour Through Every Alley" visit to the border area on the 2nd at a senior citizens' center in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province. Photo by Yonhap News
The freshman lawmakers' group "The Mincho" held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication center on this day, stating, "The excessive procedures and biased judgment of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Cho run counter to the legal sentiment and common sense of the people," and added, "We will immediately begin the process for the impeachment of Chief Justice Cho."
The Mincho asserted, "The Seoul High Court's decision to set the first trial date to the 15th immediately after the case was assigned, and to order service by a court bailiff, is clear evidence that political considerations were made in line with Chief Justice Cho's intentions," and continued, "Cancel this immediately and adhere to standard procedures and trial practices. Otherwise, it will be regarded as complicity in Chief Justice Cho's judicial coup."
The Mincho further stated, "If judicial coups continue to occur, all freshman lawmakers will respond firmly without hesitation or any political consideration," adding, "We will resolutely act solely to protect the people, the Constitution, and the values of democracy."
On the same day, during his "East Coast Belt Listening Tour" in Gangwon Province, Lee Jae Myung responded to reporters in Samcheok City regarding the calls for impeachment of Chief Justice Cho and others within the party, saying, "As a candidate, I am elected, and elections are conducted by the party and the campaign committee, so I believe the party will handle this in accordance with the will of the people."
There were also claims that the Supreme Court did not properly review Lee Jae Myung's documents before making its remand decision. Kim Minseok, the party's senior supreme council member, posted on Facebook, "I request the disclosure of all log records, including whether the ten justices of the Supreme Court reviewed all 60,000 pages of electronic records related to Lee's case over two days and how much time was spent reviewing them. I propose a petition drive for one million signatures demanding the disclosure of these log records," and included a link to the petition.
The Democratic Party plans to hold a general assembly of lawmakers on the 4th to discuss how to respond to the Supreme Court's remand decision.
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