비상계엄 때 ‘이재명 무죄판사 체포 시도’···대법 “사법권 중대 침해” Judge who acquitted DP's Lee alleg

[정승남세기영어교육연구회장]

Judge who acquitted DP's Lee allegedly targeted in martial law order: National police chief

계엄령 명령에서 표적이 된 혐의로 기소된 민주당의 이재명 의원에게 무죄를 선고한 판사: 국가 경찰청장

비상계엄 때 ‘이재명 무죄판사 체포 시도’···대법 “사법권 중대 침해”

https://youtu.be/MI2LHOaupE8?si=yIrwGayheeaMhh5o

Published: 13 Dec. 2024, 13:19 The Korea JoongAng Daily / 중앙일보

Former Defense Counterintelligence Command Commander Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung attends an intelligence committee meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [YONHAP]

A judge who previously acquitted Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung was allegedly among those targeted by soldiers during President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, according to the national police commissioner.

National Police Commissioner Cho Ji-ho revealed this information during questioning by a police special investigations team on Thursday following his emergency arrest over his role during the martial law declaration, according to an exclusive report by JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. Cho allegedly instructed police officers to cordon off the National Assembly compound to block lawmakers from entering parliament after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3.

Cho, during questioning, said that he was ordered by Defense Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung to track the locations of some 15 individuals, including politicians, after martial law was declared. The list included a judge who acquitted DP leader Lee on charges of suborning an official to commit perjury.

The judge in question, Kim Dong-hyun of the Seoul Central District Court, acquitted Lee of his alleged charges on March 25, saying, “There was perjury, but it is difficult to say that the perjury had intentions.” The case involved allegations that Lee had persuaded a former secretary to the late former Seongnam Mayor Kim Byung-ryang to give false testimony on his violations of the Public Official Election Act.

The Supreme Court made a statement on Thursday stating that if Cho's claims are proven true, it would mean a violation of power.

This will mark the first instance when a sitting judge has been targeted for arrest under martial law directives, If Cho’s statements are substantiated. It is also expected to have significant repercussions, as it suggests that Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and martial law forces sought to neutralize not only the legislative branch but also the judiciary.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung speaks at the National Assembly on Friday regarding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. [NEWS1]

Yeo has previously admitted to directing Cho and the former First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Hong Jang-won to locate key figures for arrest during the short-lived martial law period.

The surveillance list, according to Cho, also includes DP leader Lee Jae-myung, People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Kim Myeong-su and the Chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee Jung Chung-rae, among others. Prosecutors and police are currently investigating the matter.

Cho, however, reportedly testified that he "did not comply with the orders given to him," consistent with his previous assertions.

During the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee session held on Monday, Cho said, “location tracking itself is illegal and requires a court-issued warrant, so it wasn’t’ something the police could do.” He also told investigators in previous police questioning that he defied orders from his superiors three times by “ripping up the papers containing president’s directives, refusing Yeo’s order to track the locations of politicians and rejecting Yoon’s instruction to arrest lawmakers.”

Cho mentioned that he expressed his intention to resign following the lifting of martial law on Dec. 3.

During questioning, Cho also said he received six phone calls from Yoon after his martial law announcement, directing him to “arrest lawmakers and others" for violating the martial law order. However, Cho reportedly claimed that he did not follow through and called a junior police officer after the martial law was lifted, telling him that the decree "ended quickly because I disobeyed [the president's] instructions."

The junior police officer told JoongAng Ilbo in a phone call that he discouraged Cho from resigning, saying, “Why submit a resignation when you have saved democracy?”

Regarding the meeting at President Yoon’s safe house with Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik and former Defense Minister Kim prior to the declaration of martial law, Cho testified that Yoon spoke for five minutes and asserted the legitimacy of the martial law by referencing pro-North Korean leftist groups and the National Assembly’s impeachment efforts.

Cho claimed that he was taken aback by the president’s remarks, wondering if Yoon was testing him.

He further testified that he returned to his official residence around 7:50 p.m. and discussed the matter with his wife, expressing disbelief at the president’s rationale. He added, “I could not bring myself to carry out such an irrational directive, so I tore up the document containing the orders and discarded it in the trash.”

Cho also apologized to police officers, saying, “I tried to protect democracy by defying the president’s order, but this has unfortunately created the false impression that I participated in the martial law declaration.” He urged the police to “fulfill their duties with unwavering resolve.”

Update, Dec. 13: Story updated to include more information from Cho and the junior police officer, as reported by JoongAng Ilbo.

BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN, NA UN-CHAE, WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]

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비상계엄 때 ‘이재명 무죄판사 체포 시도’···대법 “사법권 중대 침해”

입력 : 2024.12.13 10:10 수정 : 2024.12.13 14:17 유선희 기자 김나연 기자 경향신문

윤석열 대통령이 지난 12일 서울 용산 대통령실청사에서 대국민담화를 하고 있다. 대통령실제공

12·3 비상계엄 때 군과 경찰이 이재명 더불어민주당 대표에게 무죄를 선고한 현직 부장판사를 체포하려고 시도한 것으로 확인됐다. 대법원은 “사법권에 대한 중대한 침해”라고 강하게 반발했다.

13일 경향신문 취재를 종합하면 조지호 경찰청장은 윤석열 대통령이 비상계엄을 선포한 직후인 지난 3일 밤 10시30분쯤 여인형 전 국군방첩사령관으로부터 전화를 받고 정치인 15명 등의 위치정보를 확인해줄 것을 요구받았다. 이들 중에는 이재명 대표의 위증교사 1심 사건에서 무죄를 선고한 김동현 서울중앙지법 부장판사도 포함됐다. 형사합의33부 재판장인 김 판사는 지난달 25일 위증교사 혐의로 기소된 이 대표에 대해 “일방적인 주장을 반복해 자신이 필요로 하는 증언을 언급하는 것만으로 위증을 요구하는 대화라고 해석하긴 어렵다”며 무죄를 선고했다.

조 청장이 당시 ‘김동현’이 누군지 알지 못해 여 전 사령관에게 “누구냐”고 물었고, 여 전 사령관으로부터 “이 대표의 위증교사 혐의 무죄를 선고한 판사”라고 답을 들은 것으로 전해졌다. 그간 위치추적 대상자로 알려진 인물은 이 대표, 한동훈 국민의힘 대표 등 정치인과 김명수 전 대법원장, 권순일 전 대법관 등이다. 현직 판사가 거론된 것은 처음으로, 사실상 사법부까지 장악한 시도로 볼 수 있다.

거대야당이 사법부 탄핵에 나설 것을 우려했다는 윤 대통령의 발언과도 배치된다. 윤 대통령은 전날 ‘29분 대국민담화’에서 비상계엄 선포의 필요성이 있었다고 주장하면서 “거대 야당 민주당이 자신들의 비리를 수사하고 감사하는 서울중앙지검장과 검사들, 헌법기관인 감사원장을 탄핵하겠다고 했을 때 저는 이제 더 이상은 그냥 지켜볼 수만 없다고 판단했다”며 “이들은 이제 곧 사법부에도 탄핵의 칼을 들이댈 것이 분명했다”고 말했다.

법원행정처는 이날 입장문을 내고 “사법권에 대한 직접적이고 중대한 침해로서 심각한 우려를 금할 수 없다”며 “법치국가에서 절대 발생해서는 안 될 일로서 신속한 사실규명과 엄정한 법적 책임이 따라야 할 사안”이라고 밝혔다.

서울중앙지법도 “강한 유감”이라는 반응을 냈다. 서울중앙지법은 “특정 사건의 재판 결과를 수긍할 수 없다는 이유로 재판의 독립을 심각하게 침해하는 행위”라며 “그 지시만으로 법치주의와 헌법상 권력분립의 원리를 중대하게 훼손하는 행태”라고 밝혔다. 현직 판사인 류영재 의정부지법 남양주지원 판사는 이날 법원 내부망(코트넷)에 쓴 글에서 “사법을 겁박해 무너뜨리려는 시도”라고 비판했다.

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