Judicial Power Abuse

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The prosecution has conducted its first search related to allegations the National Court Administration under the previous administration intervened in a court trial involving a Busan-based building contractor. The court has so far rejected all search warrants requested for former and incumbent judges implicated in the judicial power abuse scandal.

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Prosecutors have searched the offices of a former justice at the Busan High Court known by the surname Moon and the offices of a building contractor surnamed Jung. The raid marked the first search conducted in the investigation looking into alleged interference by the National Court Administration in a bribery trial surrounding the building contractor. The former judge Moon is accused of receiving favors from the businessman Jung on several occasions. A document drafted by the National Court Administration in September 2016 states that Moon may have been involved in Jung's first trial. The document said at least the appeals trial must be properly held and urged for a court decision after one or two more trials. Prosecutors have also obtained a verbal record showing the chief of the National Court Administration asking the head of the Busan High Court to delay the trial in question. The prosecution believes the NCA intervened in the trial after a local daily began to cover corruption allegations of Judge Moon. Circumstantial evidence also indicates the NCA tried to block the reporting with help from then presidential secretary for political affairs Hyun Ki-hwan who had ties with the judge. Prosecutors believe the NCA interfered in the case to cover up the judge's irregularities and gain assistance from the presidential aide for the establishment of an appellate court. However, the issuance of search warrants requested for former and incumbent judges related to this case have all been rejected. The prosecution strongly protests the rejection as unjustified, saying that facts have been confirmed through testimonies from judges who have been questioned.