"Controversial Remarks" Attorney for Kim Yonghyun Says, "The Korean Bar Association Is Keeping Its Mouth Shut"

Attorney Lee Hasang and Others Criticize the Korean Bar Association
"The Bar Association Attacking Lawyers? That Makes No Sense"
Bar Association Resolves to Request Disciplinary Proceedings

Attorney Lee Hasang is greeting as he is released from the Seoul Detention Center in the early hours of the 16th. YouTube capture

While the Korean Bar Association has initiated disciplinary proceedings over comments made on YouTube by lawyer Lee Hasang, counsel for former Minister of Justice Kim Yonghyun, it has been reported that the defense team for former Minister of National Defense Kim Yonghyun criticized the association, saying, "A lawyer’s right to defense was violated, and yet they kept their mouths shut."

On the 16th, lawyers Lee Hasang, Kim Jimi, and Ko Youngil, who are defending the former minister, appeared on a YouTube live broadcast and criticized the Korean Bar Association. Lee, who had been ordered to 15 days of confinement for causing a disturbance in court during a sedition trial and was detained at the Seoul Detention Center on the 3rd, was released in the early hours of that day.

Earlier, on the 9th, the Investigation Committee of the Korean Bar Association reportedly resolved to request the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against Lee over remarks he made on YouTube about Chief Judge Lee Jingwan, who had issued the confinement order against him, including profanity such as calling him "a useless XX."

Attorney Ko said, "The bar association exists to protect the interests of lawyers," and raised his voice, asking, "If it is a bar association, it should protect lawyers. Does the bar association exist to protect judges and prosecutors?"

He went on to say, "Once a confinement order was issued, the bar association should have risen up, gone straight to Judge Lee Jingwan, and made an official protest visit," adding, "Whether it is the president of the Seoul Bar Association or the president of the Korean Bar Association, the biggest mistake this time is that when a lawyer’s right to defense was infringed, they remained silent and kept their mouths tightly shut."

Attorney Kim likewise said, "The bar association is attacking lawyers? We would say they cannot tell friend from foe, right? People would say they are mentally all over the place, and that is the state the bar association is in," adding that "the Korean Bar Association is making a mistake."

On the 9th, after deliberating on a request to initiate disciplinary proceedings against lawyers Lee Hasang, Kwon Woohyun, and Yoo Seungsoo, who make up part of the defense team for the former minister, the Investigation Committee of the Korean Bar Association resolved to request the initiation of disciplinary proceedings over Lee’s YouTube remarks. Once the committee adopts such a resolution, the case is forwarded to the association’s Disciplinary Committee. After hearing Lee’s explanation and completing a review of the submitted evidence, including YouTube videos, the committee will decide the final level of disciplinary action.