The Board of Audit and Inspection has confirmed that the Chief Justice received encouragement payments

Chief Justice Cho Hee-de's explanation that he was not involved in the payment of encouragement bonuses has been shown to be untrue following confirmation by the Board of Audit and Inspection. According to a written response submitted by the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Eui-gyeom, a member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, from the Board of Audit on the 12th, the audit agency said it had confirmed through accounting documents and confirmation letters from the National Court Administration's finance office that the Chief Justice paid encouragement bonuses — with no legal basis — to Supreme Court justices and the head of the National Court Administration.

The issue stems from the Board of Audit's regular audit results on the Supreme Court, announced on August 31. The audit agency revealed that the National Court Administration had paid an average of 2 million won per month under the name of encouragement bonuses, with no legal basis, to 12 Supreme Court justices from 2022 through April 2024.

Previously, in its regular audit results, the Board of Audit pointed out that the National Court Administration had purchased 108.92 million won worth of wine as business expenses from 2022 to January 2025 without properly maintaining supporting documents. Purchases made during late-night hours after 11 p.m. as well as on weekends and holidays amounted to 99.5 million won, and it was confirmed that no verification procedures were conducted for approximately 16.25 million won spent at bars.