Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su's Recorded Conversation Sparks Controversy... Opposition Parties Urge "Resign Now"

Ahn Cheol-soo "Judiciary Made Servants of Power"
Na Kyung-won "Kim Myung-soo Should Step Down"
Geum Tae-seop "Ashamed"

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] As the recorded conversation between Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo and Presiding Judge Im Seong-geun was revealed through a transcript, fierce criticism has poured out from the opposition camp.

On the 4th, Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, criticized, "The judiciary itself has voluntarily become a slave to power." Ahn said, "My expectation that the judiciary would at least be different and my belief that the Chief Justice would prioritize the court’s neutrality and independence disappeared in an instant after hearing these words." He continued, "The virus of ideology and partisan interests, which started at the core of power, has now spread to the courts, bringing the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of the Republic of Korea to the brink of collapse."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ahn criticized, "If it is true that Chief Justice Kim did not accept Judge Im’s resignation with the impeachment push by the ruling party in mind, this is tantamount to sacrificing a junior colleague’s neck as a bribe to power." He added, "Now even the Chief Justice is stepping forward to turn our judiciary into a mere servant of power, worse than a handmaiden," and raised his voice, saying, "In the process of seizing all three branches under the grip of power and scheming for 30 years of long-term Democratic Party rule, democracy, the rule of law, and parliamentary democracy are suffocating, and the dark ghost of totalitarianism is looming."

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at the emergency committee meeting, "I have repeatedly said that Chief Justice Kim should have been impeached long ago, but we were watching from the perspective of judicial independence, yet things have gone too far," and added, "I hope Chief Justice Kim decides on his position without leaving a disgraceful name in judicial history."

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min wrote on his Facebook, titled “The Chief Justice who manipulated the judiciary should resign immediately,” stating, "The head of the judiciary openly took political considerations, watched the Democratic Party’s moves, and did not accept the resignation of a junior judge who was acquitted in the first trial to impeach him," and "Moreover, the head of the judiciary is even lying to the public." Yoo emphasized, "This is not about law but about human decency."

Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong also urged Chief Justice Kim’s resignation on Facebook, saying, "An unbelievable and shocking transcript has been revealed," and "A Chief Justice who watches political situations has no right to remain in that position."

Candidates who declared their intention to run in the Seoul mayoral by-election also demanded Chief Justice Kim’s impeachment one after another. Na Kyung-won, a preliminary candidate for the People Power Party’s Seoul mayoral race and former lawmaker, wrote on Facebook that day, "Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo should step down from that position," and said, "If the transcript revealed by Presiding Judge Im is true, it means the Chief Justice has forgotten his status as the head of the judiciary by watching the ruling party’s moves and making political calculations." She added, "If even the judiciary is controlled by politics, our democracy is finished," and lamented, "As someone who served as a judge, it is very painful to see the independence of the judiciary shaken to this extent."

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