Court Dismisses Recusal Request of Judge Who Ordered Prosecutor to Leave During Seongnam FC Case

The prosecution filed a motion to disqualify the presiding judge who had ordered their removal during the trial concerning the ‘Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations,’ but the court dismissed the motion.

Suwon District Court. Yonhap News

According to the legal community on the 29th, the Criminal Division 3 of Suwon District Court Seongnam Branch (Chief Judge Park Jong-yeol) dismissed the prosecution’s motion to disqualify the judge of Criminal Division 1 of Seongnam Branch (Chief Judge Heo Yong-gu). The reason for dismissal was reportedly that “there is no concern that an unfair trial would occur.”

On the 11th, Chief Judge Heo Yong-gu of Criminal Division 1 at Seongnam Branch ordered the removal of Prosecutor Jeong, who appeared at the trial of seven defendants indicted on charges including bribery related to the Seongnam FC sponsorship fund case. He stated, “Prosecutor Jeong, affiliated with the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office, is acting as a deputy prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and has been assigned as a one-day deputy prosecutor at the Seongnam Branch of Suwon District Court for every trial related to the ‘Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations.’ This dual deputy assignment is judged to violate Article 5 of the Prosecutors’ Office Act and is therefore illegal.”

Prosecutor Jeong and four accompanying prosecutors immediately filed an objection and verbally expressed their intention to file a motion to disqualify the judge, then left the courtroom. The prosecution’s motion to disqualify the judge led to the suspension of the trial.

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