Chief justice urged to speak on 'blacklist of judges'

By Jung Min-ho

Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae is facing mounting pressure to disclose the truth behind the “blacklist of judges,” which was allegedly used for unjust personnel actions.

Judges at the Seoul Central District Court, the largest in Korea, held a special meeting, Monday, to urge Yang to reopen the investigation into the blacklist, which allegedly contains judges’ personal information such as their political inclinations.

The Office of Court Administration (OCA) is accused of using the list to make decisions over personnel matters, which many judges call a “serious abuse of power” if it is true.

After the issue came to the fore, the Supreme Court formed a fact-finding committee, which closed the case in April without checking the computer suspected of having the blacklist file.

The Seoul Central District Court is the latest court to demand the truth. So far, judges at 12 out of 18 district courts across the country have asked Yang to reinvestigate the case thoroughly and to discuss the issue at a National Judges’ Congress.

“Given the seriousness of the matter, there should be a national meeting to collect opinions from all judges,” the judges at the Seoul Central District Court said in a statement. “As the person in charge, Yang needs to speak outon the suspicions and make every effort to reveal the truth behind it.”

The affair began with a survey to collect judges’ opinions over judicial independence in Korea and its court personnel management system. The results were to be revealed at the symposium for judicial reform, which was scheduled for March 25.

But Lim Chong-heon, who was the No. 2 official at the OCA, pressured a symposium director to scale down the event for unclear reasons. The director was unhappy about the request and offered his resignation in protest. After the issue came to light, the Supreme Court ordered an investigation.

Fresh suspicions over the blacklist started to emerge when a judge, surnamed Lee, told the fact-finding committee that he was told “don’t be surprised when you find the files of a secret investigation into judges, which was done for a good cause” by a high-ranking official at the Supreme Court.

Yet, without checking the computer suspected of having the file, the committee concluded that such a list doesn’t exist. Lim denied all the allegations, but nevertheless stepped down to take responsibility for “a loss of trust.”

But few judges were convinced. They have urged Yang, who has kept mum on the issue, to explain.

The minor opposition Justice Party also released a statement Tuesday to urge him to speak the truth, saying that judicial reform seems inevitable and imminent.

Creating such a blacklist is not something unimaginable for Koreans, who have already seen one. Former President Park Geun-hye, who was ousted over a massive corruption scandal, and her aides were accused of creating a blacklist of people to selectively support artists based on their political orientation.

Former president Lee Myung-bak appointed Yang as the chief justice in 2011. His term will end in September after six years.