Politics · South Korea · 1 hr ago
South Korean lawmaker challenges chief justice over cash bonuses
Kim Eui-kyeom, a Democratic Party member of South Korea’s National Assembly, challenged Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae over cash bonuses paid to senior court officials.
Cho said during a parliamentary audit that he did not handle the payments and that a spending officer made them.
Kim said records from the Board of Audit and Inspection confirmed that Cho paid bonuses to Supreme Court justices and the head of court administration.
The board said it checked accounting papers and a confirmation from the court administration finance office.
Kim also said court administration did not provide requested records about wine bought with office expenses.
The audit board said the paperwork described the purchases only as supplies for Supreme Court events and lacked details such as when, where and for whom the wine was used.
Kim called on Cho and court administration to explain their accounts and the missing purchase details.
South Korean lawmaker Kim Eui-kyeom accused Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae of lying about his involvement in cash bonus payments.
Kim cited an Audit and Inspection Board review, which said it confirmed that Cho paid bonuses to Supreme Court justices and the head of the National Court Administration.
Cho had said at a parliamentary audit that he was not involved in making the payments.
Kim also said the National Court Administration did not provide requested records about wine bought with its operating expenses.
- Who
- Kim Eui-kyeom, a Democratic Party lawmaker, accused Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae of giving a false answer.
- What
- The dispute concerns Cho’s role in cash bonus payments and records for wine purchases made with operating expenses.
- When
- Kim made the accusation on October 12, 2026. Cho gave his answer at a parliamentary audit on October 6.
- Where
- South Korea’s National Assembly and the Supreme Court are involved.
- Why
- Kim said audit materials confirmed that Cho paid bonuses, contradicting Cho’s statement that he was not involved.
Kim Eui-kyeom
Cho Hee-dae
Role in bonus payments
Kim Eui-kyeom
Kim said audit materials confirmed that Cho paid bonuses to Supreme Court justices and the head of the National Court Administration.
Cho Hee-dae
Cho said he was not involved in the payments and that a separate spending officer made them.
Compared with his claims to authority and responsibility as one of the three branches of government, this is a pitiful lie
The chief justice does not spend the state's salary or bonuses
There is a separate spending officer, and the chief justice is not involved in it at all
Cho said at a parliamentary audit that he was not involved in paying bonuses.
Kim accused Cho of lying and cited audit materials about the payments.
- Lawmaker
- Kim Eui-kyeom
- Chief justice
- Cho Hee-dae
- Audit finding
- Bonuses were paid to Supreme Court justices and the head of the National Court Administration
- Cho's statement
- He said he was not involved in the payments
- Wine records
- The National Court Administration did not submit requested event-related materials
Sources
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