Court administration chief draws a line over calls to impeach over Han Duck-soo's release

Noh Kyung-pil, head of the National Court Administration, said on the 12th that it would be inappropriate to call for the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-de on the grounds that former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was released upon the expiration of his detention period. Noh gave the answer during a hearing at the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts on next year's budget for non-economic ministries, in response to a question from independent lawmaker Ahn Dong-hoon. When Ahn asked, "What do you think about the impeachment calls arising from Han Duck-soo's unavoidable release due to the expiration of his detention period in connection with his trial?" Noh replied, "I believe it is inappropriate to speak of impeachment on such grounds." The court administration chief added that a release prompted by the expiration of a detention period has no direct bearing on a verdict of guilt or innocence.

Han, the former prime minister on trial for involvement in key duties related to an insurrection, was sentenced to 23 years in prison at the first trial and 15 years at the second trial in May, and his case is now before the Supreme Court on appeal. As deliberation by the full bench dragged on, he reached the six-month maximum detention period allowed at the appellate stage. His detention period expires at midnight on the 20th. With the Supreme Court's full bench (Justices Oh Kyung-mi and Kim Sung-su presiding) scheduling a second en banc hearing for the 19th, the day before the deadline, it has become increasingly likely that the former prime minister will receive the Supreme Court's appellate ruling while out on bail.

Within the Democratic Party, some have raised calls to impeach Chief Justice Cho over Han's release, with Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Seo Young-kyo and former party chief Chung Chung-rae among those voicing such demands. The Democratic Party's legislation committee plans to open the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 16th to process the budget bill and hold questioning on issues related to Han's release, with the ruling party planning to direct questions chiefly at Noh Kyung-pil of the National Court Administration.

Han is awaiting a first-trial verdict on the 30th in a case involving allegations of the non-appointment and irregular nomination of Constitutional Court justices, with prosecutors seeking a five-year prison term.