Prosecutors Criticize First Trial Acquittal, Claim "Yoo Haeyong Exceeded Judicial Administrative Authority Limits"

Yoo Haeyong, Former Senior Research Judge of the Supreme Court [Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The prosecution stated in the second trial of former Supreme Court Senior Judicial Researcher Yoo Haeyong, who was indicted on suspicion of abuse of judicial administrative power, that "the defendant's actions exceeded the limits of judicial administrative authority."

On the 8th, at the first appeal trial of former Senior Researcher Yoo held by the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Yoon Gang-yeol), the prosecution announced the appeal summary, saying, "It seriously undermines the fairness of trials and public trust in the judiciary for the judiciary, as the final decision-maker, to inform one party in a lawsuit about the progress and handling plans of the case."

Former Senior Researcher Yoo was indicted on charges including abuse of authority for having Supreme Court researchers check the progress of trials involving Kim Young-jae, the director of a plastic surgery clinic who was involved in former President Park Geun-hye's secret medical treatment in 2016. He was also charged with violating the Personal Information Protection Act for taking review reports containing personal information of parties involved in the Supreme Court's final appeal cases after retirement, and with violating the Attorney-at-Law Act for taking cases he handled while at the Supreme Court after opening a law practice.

The first trial acquitted former Senior Researcher Yoo of all charges, citing "lack of evidence." This was the court's first ruling on the judicial scandal case. After Yoo's verdict, five others indicted on similar suspicions?including former Court Chief Lee Tae-jong and Deputy Judges Im Seong-geun, Shin Gwang-ryeol, Seong Chang-ho, and Jo Ui-yeon?were all acquitted.

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