'Controversy over Lee Jae-myung's Free Legal Representation' Song Doo-hwan, Human Rights Commissioner Nominee, "I Do Not Consider It a Violation of the Anti-Graft Law"

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Song Doo-hwan, the nominee for Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 30th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Regarding the allegation that Song Doo-hwan, the nominee for the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, provided "pro bono legal defense" in Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung's election law case, Song stated on the 30th, "I have never considered the fact that it violated the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act."

At the National Assembly confirmation hearing that day, in response to a related question from Lee Soo-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, Song replied, "I did so little that I never thought about receiving money." It was revealed that Song did not receive a fee while defending Lee's election law appeal case in 2019, which sparked controversy over a violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

He said, "Whether the fee was over or under 1 million won, I believe it does not fall under the acts prohibited by the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act," adding, "The basic premise of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act is job-relatedness, and there was no job-relatedness."

Furthermore, regarding the allegations of real estate name-trust related to himself, Song explained, "I was completely unaware of its connection to the Real Name Real Estate System, and I neglected it because I had no time to pay attention." While serving as a judge in 1988, Song purchased about 14,000 pyeong of forest land in the Jeonnam Goheung area under a borrowed name, entrusting the title to a broker, and transferred the registration to his spouse's name in 1996.

Regarding the abolition of the death penalty, he said, "I used to think there should be a system to prepare for extreme cases when heinous crimes against humanity occur," but emphasized, "Now, I believe the time has matured enough to agree with the position taken by the Human Rights Commission." Song expressed a constitutional opinion supporting the death penalty while serving as a Constitutional Court Justice in 2010, whereas the Human Rights Commission has consistently maintained a stance for the abolition of the death penalty since 2005.

Regarding the recent controversy over the "emperor's protocol" raised at the briefing for special entrants from Afghanistan, where an employee knelt and held an umbrella for the Deputy Minister of Justice, Song said, "From the photos and videos, it is truly an inappropriate scene," and added, "I will investigate the circumstances that led to such a scene."

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