Politics · South Korea · 1 hr ago
Ruling party leader urges South Korea's chief justice to resign over cash payments
Han Byeong-do, a floor leader of South Korea's Democratic Party, has urged Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to resign.
The dispute concerns cash described as encouragement payments to Supreme Court justices and the head of court administration.
Han said an audit committee hearing confirmed that Cho's office made the payments.
He also said the audit agency chief identified Cho as the person responsible for them and judged regular, uniform payments to violate the National Finance Act.
At a parliamentary audit on October 6, Cho said he had no involvement in the payments, according to Han.
Han accused Cho of misleading parliament and said Cho had refused to take an oath as a witness to avoid punishment for perjury.
The dispute raises questions about the chief justice's account and the use of public funds, but the source gives no further steps.
South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do urged Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to resign over cash payments described as encouragement money.
Han said the chief justice’s office paid cash to Supreme Court justices and the head of court administration.
Han cited an audit agency’s findings that Cho was the person responsible for the payments and that regular, uniform payments violated the National Finance Act.
Cho had told a National Assembly hearing on October 6 that he was not involved in the payments.
Han accused Cho of giving a false explanation to lawmakers and misleading the public.
- Who
- Han Byung-do, floor leader of South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, called on Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to resign.
- What
- Han accused Cho of giving a false account of cash payments made as encouragement money to senior judicial officials.
- When
- Han made the call on October 13, 2026.
- Where
- At a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul.
- Why
- Han said audit findings contradicted Cho’s statement that he had no involvement in the payments.
Han Byung-do
Cho Hee-dae
Involvement in payments
Han Byung-do
Han said the chief justice was the person responsible for the cash payments.
Cho Hee-dae
Cho said at an October 6 hearing that he was not involved in the payments.
Explanation to lawmakers
Han Byung-do
Han accused Cho of giving a false explanation to the National Assembly.
Cho Hee-dae
Cho’s reported position was that he had no involvement; the article does not report a response to Han’s accusation.
Cho told a National Assembly hearing that the chief justice was not involved in the payments.
At an audit agency hearing, Han said it was confirmed that the chief justice’s office had paid cash as encouragement money.
Han urged Cho to resign at a National Assembly meeting.
- Han Byung-do
- Democratic Party floor leader
- Cho Hee-dae
- South Korea’s chief justice
- Payments
- Cash described as encouragement money
- Recipients
- Supreme Court justices and the head of court administration
- National Finance Act
- Audit agency findings said regular, uniform payments violated the law
What people are saying
The person who damaged the authority and trust of the judiciary is Chief Justice Cho himself.
The chief justice’s regular and uniform payments of encouragement money were judged to violate the National Finance Act.
Was the chief justice truly not involved and unaware?
Sources
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