Law Manipulation Case: Lawmakers Lee Sujin and Lee Tanhee Appear as Witnesses in Im Jongheon Trial

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Former Deputy Chief of the Court Administration Office Im Jongheon, who was indicted on suspicion of abuse of judicial administrative power, will have former judges and Democratic Party members of the National Assembly Lee Sujin and Lee Tanhee appear as witnesses at his trial in December.

On the 23rd, the Criminal Division 36 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Yoon Jongsup) set the date for the witness examination of Assembly members Lee Sujin and Lee Tanhee for December 15 at the continuation of former Deputy Chief Im's trial. The two lawmakers are known for exposing the 'judicial scandal' during their tenure as judges.

They are expected to testify regarding allegations that the Court Administration Office under former Chief Justice Yang Seungtae suppressed academic groups critical of the judiciary, such as the International Human Rights Law Association.

Assembly member Lee Sujin, while serving as a judge in 2018, raised suspicions in a broadcast interview that the Supreme Court deliberately delayed rulings on Japanese forced labor cases during former Chief Justice Yang's tenure. Ahead of the recent general election, she introduced herself as a 'victim of the judiciary blacklist.'

Assembly member Lee Tanhee, after being appointed as a deliberator at the Court Administration Office in 2017, became aware of the existence of a 'judge blacklist' intended to disadvantage certain judges, protested against it, and subsequently resigned.

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