Yoon Hojung Criticizes Supreme Court's Election Intervention
Calls for Rescheduling of All Presidential Candidate Trials After the Election
Democratic Party Denounces "Judicial Coup" and Threatens to Block Proceedings
On May 5, the Democratic Party of Korea called on Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hui-dae to "reschedule all trial dates for candidates running in the presidential election that are set during the campaign period to after the election."
On the 5th, Yoon Hojung, the General Election Campaign Headquarters Chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
Yoon Hojung, the General Election Campaign Headquarters Chief of the Democratic Party, held a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido on the same day, stating, "The May 1 judicial coup is a judicial hunt against the people's right to participate in politics." On May 1, the Supreme Court remanded the case of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, for a retrial with a guilty verdict in mind regarding his violation of the Public Official Election Act. The first retrial hearing is scheduled for the 15th. The Democratic Party has characterized the Supreme Court's remand ruling as a "judicial coup."
Yoon sharply criticized, "Elections are a sacred arena for the highest and most noble exercise of sovereignty that no one should arbitrarily infringe upon. Yet, Chief Justice Cho Hui-dae's judiciary has abandoned the principles of due process, judicial restraint, and political neutrality, wielding a sword in the midst of the people's celebration. This is not just an administrative intervention but a judicial intervention in the election, a challenge to the sovereignty of the people, and an act of constitutional destruction."
Yoon also said, "During the campaign period, candidate Lee will have to attend court hearings, which will prevent him from fully engaging in election activities. If the court issues rulings on candidates who could influence the election results during the campaign period, it can only be seen as ignoring and obstructing the people's direct exercise of their rights."
He continued, "We hope that by May 12, all trial dates for presidential candidates set during the campaign period will be rescheduled to after the election," adding, "This is the last way for Chief Justice Cho Hui-dae's judiciary to prove that it has not participated in a rebellion."
When asked by reporters whether the party would pursue impeachment of the Chief Justice and others if the trial dates are not changed, Yoon replied, "It is a principle to exercise the necessary powers," and added, "Please do not overinterpret this. However, I am making it clear that we will block the progress of trials at the High Court after the 12th."
When asked whether there is an opinion that a backup candidate should be prepared in case a guilty verdict against candidate Lee is finalized before the election, Yoon responded, "That is not something we need to consider," and added, "We have already prepared all possible measures to prevent judicial intervention in the election under any circumstances."
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