DP claims conspiracy of Judges

[Anchor]

The Democratic Party's relentless offensive targeting the judiciary continues.

Democratic Party lawmakers raised various suspicions at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

They claimed that Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae conspired in advance regarding the retrial of candidate Lee Jae-myung, and brought up allegations of entertainment expenses involving the judge presiding over former President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection case.

Reporter Lee Hyun-jun has the details.

[Report]

Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo played a recorded file.

[“Cho Hee-dae said that when the Lee Jae-myung case comes to the Supreme Court, he will handle it himself.”]

This refers to the claim that Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae conspired in advance with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo regarding the retrial of the election law violation case of candidate Lee Jae-myung.

[Seo Young-kyo/National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee/Democratic Party: “I received an accurate tip-off, and suddenly there is a retrial. Does this make sense?”]

Chief Administrative Officer Cheon Dae-yeop strongly refuted the allegations.

[Cheon Dae-yeop/Chief Administrative Officer of the Court: “I would swear, the Chief Justice is not that kind of person.”]

Allegations were also raised regarding the judge presiding over former President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection case.

It was claimed that Judge Ji Gwi-yeon received expensive entertainment services, prompting a call for an investigation.

[Kim Yong-min/National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee/Democratic Party: “I received specific information that he drank and received entertainment services several times at a room salon where the cost per person was around 1 to 2 million won.”]

Photos of the establishment were also released, but the People Power Party criticized this as intimidation against judges.

[Joo Jin-woo/National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee/People Power Party: “We need to specifically clarify when, where, from whom, and how the lobbying took place, and what the evidence is.”]

The Democratic Party stated that the information provided is true, but they are currently verifying whether the informant was a part of the group.

A war of words between the leadership of both parties also continued.

[Park Chan-dae/Democratic Party Floor Leader: “(Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae) should immediately respond to the public's demand for an apology and resignation regarding the judicial coup.”]

[Kwon Seong-dong/People Power Party Floor Leader: “This is the beginning of Lee Jae-myung's style of dictatorship, which aims to change the separation of powers into a seizure of powers.”]

The Department of Court Administration stated that if there is evidence regarding the allegations raised, they will consider an investigation.

This is KBS News, Lee Hyun-jun.