Aftermath of COVID-19 at Dongbu Detention Center... Will Major Trials Be Postponed?

Following Dongbu Detention Center, Seoul Detention Center Also on Alert... Court Administration Discusses Recess Recommendations and More

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] Amid a cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Seoul Dongbu Detention Center, the Court Administration Office has begun discussions on measures including recommending court recesses nationwide. It is expected that some trials will inevitably be postponed.

According to the legal community on the 21st, the Court Administration Office has been holding a regular meeting of the 'COVID-19 Response Committee' since 9:30 a.m. today.

As a measure to prevent the spread of the cluster infection within Dongbu Detention Center, the confirmed cases identified through comprehensive testing so far include 1 staff member and 185 detainees, totaling 186 people. Considering that from November 27 to December 16, 17 people (16 staff members and 1 detainee) at Dongbu Detention Center were confirmed positive, the cumulative number of confirmed cases has reached 203 as of today.

The problem is that among the confirmed detainees, 42 recently attended trials held at Seoul Eastern District Court, Seoul Northern District Court, and Suwon District Court Seongnam Branch. Accordingly, the Court Administration Office held a regular meeting of the 'COVID-19 Response Committee' to discuss measures including recommending court recesses. Previously, on the 7th, the COVID-19 Response Committee recommended postponing or modifying trials at metropolitan area courts for two weeks (December 8 to December 21).

There is a high possibility that the schedules of some trials planned for this week will be postponed. First, Seoul Central District Court is expected to postpone trial schedules for detainees in custody. This measure was taken following a report that one inmate who was detained at Seoul Detention Center and recently released tested positive for COVID-19 this morning. Currently, Seoul Detention Center houses former President Park Geun-hye, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, Kim Jae-hyun, CEO of Optimus Asset Management, and former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae, among others.

Following the decision of the COVID-19 Response Committee, other courts may also postpone trial schedules. Previously, in August, considering the nationwide spread of COVID-19, the Court Administration Office ordered a two-week recess period. In cases that were not urgent, trial dates were postponed, and even when trials proceeded, staggered summons were ordered to ensure that the number of people indoors did not exceed 50. As a result of the Court Administration Office's measures at that time, trials such as the appeal trial of Governor Kim Kyung-soo of Gyeongnam Province, and non-custodial trials of Professor Jeong Gyeong-sim of Dongyang University and former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk were consecutively postponed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.