Former lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, who was indicted on charges including embezzlement of donations from Japanese military comfort women victims, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and three years of probation by the Supreme Court yesterday. It has been 4 years and 2 months since he was handed over to trial in September 2020. If a current member of the National Assembly is sentenced to imprisonment or higher (including probation) during his or her term, he or she loses his or her position as a member of the National Assembly, but former Assemblyman Yoon ended his term as a member of the 21st National Assembly last May as a final judgment was not made until the end of his term. It’s as if the criminal defendant’s taxes were all paid for with taxpayers’ money. It is natural for criticism to arise, “If this is the case, then what is the use of the trial?” and “The judiciary is irresponsible.”
This incident came to light in May 2020 when comfort women victim Lee Yong-soo revealed, “Former Rep. Yoon took advantage of the grandmothers for 30 years.” Prosecutors indicted former lawmaker Yoon four months later when it was revealed that he took personal advantage while claiming to help the socially underprivileged. However, the trial was delayed, with six trial preparation dates being held, and it took two years and five months to reach the first trial ruling. Although the election was invalidated in the first and second trials, the court in charge was changed in the Supreme Court due to an error in allocating the case, and it was pending for one year and two months. It is difficult to avoid criticism that it was handled too easily. We cannot help but ask whether the judiciary is still steeped in custom.
The problem is that delays in trials involving politicians are particularly severe. The leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, who was sent to trial for his child’s entrance exam corruption case, has not yet received a final ruling even though five years have passed. The first trial for Lee Jae-myeong, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, for violating the Public Official Election Act took two years and two months, and the first trial for the Ulsan mayoral election intervention case involving Hwang Un-ha, a member of the Fatherland Innovation Party, took three years and 10 months to reach the first trial. As trials are delayed, it is common for politicians indicted on election laws to complete their term of office. Some judges deliberately delayed sentencing politicians, leading to their resignation. This is why there is criticism that the judiciary is watching the politicians.
Delays in trials tend to lead to distrust in the judiciary. A speedy trial is as important as a strict trial. When Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae took office, he identified resolving trial delays as the most urgent task. The Judicial Policy Advisory Committee also recommended to Chief Justice Cho the day before yesterday that the system should be improved to prevent delays in civil appeals and criminal trials. Now is the time to show it with action, not just words. There should be no more cases like former Rep. Yoon. Judges must engrave deep in their hearts the adage, “Justice delayed is not justice.”
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Source: www.segye.com
