Court: "Judge Who Died from Overwork Handling Sensitive Cases Is Not a Meritorious Person"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] A court ruling has determined that it is difficult to recognize a chief judge who collapsed and died during a company dinner as a national merit recipient.
According to the legal community on the 6th, the Administrative 7th Division of the Seoul Administrative Court (Chief Judge Jeong Sang-gyu) ruled against the plaintiff in the 'Cancellation of the Decision of Non-Eligibility for National Merit Survivor' lawsuit filed by the family of Chief Judge A against the Seoul Southern Veterans Affairs Office.
In November 2020, Chief Judge A, who was serving as the presiding judge of the criminal panel at the Seoul Western District Court, was found collapsed in the restroom during a dinner meeting hosted by the court president. He was transferred to the hospital but ultimately passed away. The autopsy revealed the cause of death as myocardial infarction.
The family applied for national merit registration at the Seoul Southern Veterans Affairs Office, but the application was rejected. The National Veterans Act defines national merit recipients as those who died while performing duties or undergoing training directly related to the protection of citizens' lives and property, but it was determined that Chief Judge A did not meet this criterion. The family, opposing this, filed a lawsuit. They particularly argued that the corruption case involving a member of the National Assembly, which Chief Judge A handled during his lifetime, was closely related to the protection of citizens' lives and property.
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The court acknowledged that Chief Judge A handled several cases with significant mental burden, endured prolonged excessive workload, and died from myocardial infarction due to overwork. However, it ruled, "Even after reviewing all the contents of the Enforcement Decree of the National Veterans Act, it is difficult to consider the deceased's duties as falling under the relevant category."
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