Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin: "Those Trying to Oust Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae Are Enemies of Democracy"

"Is this a farce caused by the police's excessive loyalty? Or is it the prelude to fascism?"
"Expressing concern over the erosion of judicial independence... Emphasizes that separation of powers is the foundation of democracy"

Shin Sangjin, Mayor of Seongnam, strongly criticized the political pressure surrounding Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Huidae, stating, "Those who summon the highest leader of the judiciary to the National Assembly in an attempt to oust him are enemies of democracy and have already aligned themselves with fascism."

Screenshot of Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin's Facebook homepage.

On October 6, through his social networking service (SNS), Mayor Shin wrote, "Justice will prevail in the end. Is this a farce caused by the police's excessive loyalty, or is it the prelude to fascism? This is why the separation of powers is the foundation of democracy, and the complete independence of the judiciary is its basis."

Targeting the recent controversy between the ruling and opposition parties regarding Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Huidae, Mayor Shin emphasized, "The independence of the judiciary is the last bastion of democracy," warning, "The people will not tolerate any attempt by politics to subjugate the judiciary."

Mayor Shin's remarks come amid growing concerns over the erosion of judicial independence as political attacks against Chief Justice Cho have intensified. While the ruling and opposition parties are at odds over the administration of the Supreme Court, some have pointed out that pressuring the judiciary through demands such as requiring attendance at the National Assembly violates the principle of separation of powers.