Cheon Dae-yeop "Immediate Appeal Needed" with Democratic Party "Confirmed Lack of Prosecution Legitimacy"

Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Over Immediate Appeal on Yoon's Detention Cancellation
Chief of Court Administration: "A Higher Court's Judgment Is Needed"
Democratic Party: "Prosecution's Absurd Argument, Immediate Appeal Required"

Cheon Dae-yeop, Chief of the Court Administration Office and Supreme Court Justice, stated that regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's cancellation of detention, "the prosecution needs to seek a higher court's judgment through an immediate appeal," intensifying the confrontation between ruling and opposition parties over the immediate appeal.

The Democratic Party of Korea urged the prosecution to file the immediate appeal, saying, "It has once again been confirmed that the prosecution's abandonment of the immediate appeal lacks any legitimacy," while the People Power Party criticized it as a "very reckless remark."

Cho Seung-rae, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, said in a briefing on the morning of the 13th, "Chief Cheon appeared before the National Assembly yesterday and stated that the decision to cancel Yoon Seok-yeol's detention should be reviewed by a higher court through an immediate appeal," adding, "He also made it clear that the period for the immediate appeal remains until tomorrow."

He continued, "The prosecution is reportedly arguing that 'since he has already been released, an immediate appeal is impossible,'" and criticized, "Chief Cheon said that being in a released state removes the obstacle to an immediate appeal, but what kind of absurd sophistry is this?"

Cho emphasized, "If the prosecution ultimately refuses to appeal despite internal backlash and external criticism, it can only be regarded as colluding with the ringleader of the rebellion," and warned sternly, "If they continue to turn a blind eye and side with the ringleader of the rebellion, the very reason for the prosecution's existence will disappear."

Cheon Dae-yeop, Chief of the Court Administration Office, is responding to questions regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's decision to cancel detention at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Chief Cheon appeared at the full meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee the previous day and said, "There are currently no established legal provisions or precedents regarding the calculation method for detention periods," emphasizing the need to seek a higher court's judgment through an immediate appeal.

Chief Cheon stated, "I believe the court that canceled the detention took a strict stance among various academic theories," and added, "Since he is currently not detained, there is no particular obstacle for the Supreme Court to make a legal judgment through an immediate appeal."

In response, Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized at the emergency committee meeting that day, "The Chief of the Court Administration Office does not have the authority to intervene and overturn a decision that has already been made, thereby shaking the judicial system," and said, "The judiciary itself is undermining the principle of judicial independence and shaking the foundation of the three-tier court system."

Floor leader Kwon claimed, "Chief Cheon keeps making political remarks siding with the Democratic Party when appearing before the National Assembly, which is very concerning and strongly warned," and added, "It can only be seen as engaging in politics for the Lee Jae-myung faction when he keeps appearing before the National Assembly."

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