Cho Kuk: "I Support Creating the Crime of Legal Distortion, but Some Parts Need Fixing"

Raising objections to the Criminal Act amendment bill passed by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee

On the 25th, Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, raised the need to revise the proposed "crime of legal distortion." While he agreed with handling the bill on the crime of legal distortion itself, he argued that some provisions are problematic.

On this day, through social networking services (SNS), Cho said, "There is no need to repeat that I support the creation of the crime of legal distortion," making clear in principle that he supports the crime of legal distortion, but at the same time he conveyed concerns about certain provisions.

Cho Kuk, leader of the Joguk Hyeoksindang, is expressing his position at the National Assembly on the Democratic Party of Korea's proposal to form a preparatory committee to pursue alliance and unification on Feb. 11, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

He said, "Among the provisions on the crime of legal distortion that passed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the clause that states, 'In cases where a law is intentionally misapplied so as to make one party to the case advantageous or disadvantageous,' needs to be revised or deleted before it is brought to the plenary session," and added, "For example, if this clause remains as it is, when a lower civil or criminal court hands down a ruling that challenges existing Supreme Court precedents - which happens from time to time, and can lead to changes in Supreme Court rulings - the judge who rendered such a ruling could be subjected to criminal complaints and investigations."

He argued that the existing system, in which decisions by lower courts accumulate and, in that process, new precedents are created as Supreme Court case law is changed, could be rendered ineffective because of this provision.