YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) (News Focus) Controversial court rulings deepen ideological feud

By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- Political and social controversy was growing here over a string of acquittals of people who have been indicted on politically sensitive issues.

   The latest controversial sentence came on Wednesday when a lower court acquitted staff at MBC, the nation's leading broadcaster, who were charged with defamation and intentionally distorting facts in a report on mad cow disease that helped fuel weeks of street protests in 2008 against U.S. beef imports.

   Earlier Thursday, a group of enraged conservative activists threw eggs at the official vehicle of Chief Justice Lee Yong-hun on his way to work. Standing in front of Lee's residence in central Seoul, about 50 protesters called for his resignation, shouting, "Take responsibility for the left-leaning court ruling."

   "I threw the egg after watching the court rule against common sense," said Chu Seon-hui, one of the protesters. "Rep. Kang Ki-kab was found not guilty for his violence in the National Assembly, so I wonder whether they can charge me on this."

   Chu was referring to the acquittal last week of Rep. Kang, head of the progressive Democratic Labor Party, who was indicted for obstructing official parliamentary duties while protesting a bill on the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement early last year.

   The farmer-turned-legislator was accused of throwing furniture in the National Assembly speaker's office, assaulting parliamentary security guards and using foul language in his protest.

   The court ruled he was merely blowing off steam and was entitled to "protest" as a party leader. Prosecutors immediately appealed the case, and some civic groups threatened to go after the judge who presided over Kang's trial by holding a rally in front of his house.

   "Each party could have different thoughts and opinions, but this kind of irrational use of physical force (of the civic groups) cannot be accepted," Oh Seok-jun, public relations officer at the Supreme Court, said.
Ahn Sang-soo, floor leader of the ruling GNP, took a shot at the chief justice, urging him to take responsibility for the "left-leaning judicial branch" and calling Wednesday's ruling on MBC's report an example of "judicial politics."

   "The ruling, which shocked the medical circle, the people and even those within the court, does not prove the court's judicial independence, but judicial self-righteousness," the legislator, a former prosecutor himself, said during a meeting with party leaders.

   Opposition parties denounced Ahn's remark, saying the ruling party is trying to undermine the judiciary branch by replacing the chief justice, who was appointed in 2005 by then President Roh Moo-hyun, a liberal.

   "Why are they going on a witch hunt without following legal procedures to appeal the case?" Rep. Park Joo-sun of the Democratic Party said. "This is an attempt by the ruling party to shake the judiciary and a throughly planned strategy to replace the chief justice with someone in their camp."

   The court has refrained from giving an official response to what it sees as external political pressure aimed at influencing future rulings.
According to court officials, a series of hot-potato cases will go to trial this year, including those involving the anti-government statements made last year by a teachers union and a public workers union and the recent railway strike.

   Amid deepening the standoff with the court, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office held its first video conference earlier Thursday, with some 1,700 prosecutors attending under the lead of Prosecutor General Kim Joon-gyu.
Although officials said the unprecedented meeting was scheduled as part of the prosecution's yearly plan to open more channels of dialogue among prosecutors, observers expected the meeting could touch on issues of the recent uncomfortable relationship with the court.

   However, the chief stayed away from mentioning current issues during the one-hour meeting and called for "unity" among prosecutors.

   "The surrounding situation (of prosecution) is in confusion these days, but I hope prosecutors stand fair and square," Kim said. "There is no other way but to faithful to prosecutors' own duty and responsibility."

   An official at a civic group expressed his worry about the controversy and its influence on judges.

   "Taking extreme action on certain (rulings) according to political affiliation could have a very negative impact on the judges who make decisions based on their conscience regardless of external opinion," said Go Gye-heon at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice.

   ejkim@yna.co.kr
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