Former Supreme Court chief justice Yang Sung-tae arrested in power abuse scandal
- 5 years ago
We start with the unprecedented arrest of a former Supreme Court Chief Justice.
Yang Sung-tae becomes the first chief justice of the nation's top court to be in so much legal jeopardy.
He faces dozens of charges mostly related to abuse of his authority.
Choi Si-young reports.
The ex-chief of South Korea's highest court is the first top-level official in the nation's judiciary, sitting or former, to ever be arrested and imprisoned.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Seoul Central District Court issued its arrest warrant for Yang Sung-tae, who was waiting for the court's decision at the Seoul Detention Center in Gyeonggi-do Province.
The 70-year old faces over 40 charges, most of which are related to "abuse of power."
He's accused of using trials as bargaining chips in his dealings with the former Park Geun-hye government to achieve his long-envisioned plan of establishing a separate court of appeals,... and creating a blacklist of judges who opposed his plan.
These trials include ones filed by Korean plaintiffs against Japanese firms that forced them to work for little or no pay during World War II.
Explaining his decision to issue the arrest warrant, the judge at the Seoul Central District Court said the allegations against Yang were clear and serious,... and there are concerns he may destroy evidence.
During the arrest warrant review, prosecutors presented more evidence showing Yang was not merely "engaged" in the alleged crimes, but actively coordinated them.
Yang defended his "rightful" exercise of power and placed blame either on subordinates or memory lapses.
Yang will now attend trial hearings from the Seoul Detention Center.
Since he was a former head of the judiciary, it's likely that he will be placed in a cell separate from other inmates as was the case with former President Park Geun-hye, also detained at the center.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
Yang Sung-tae becomes the first chief justice of the nation's top court to be in so much legal jeopardy.
He faces dozens of charges mostly related to abuse of his authority.
Choi Si-young reports.
The ex-chief of South Korea's highest court is the first top-level official in the nation's judiciary, sitting or former, to ever be arrested and imprisoned.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Seoul Central District Court issued its arrest warrant for Yang Sung-tae, who was waiting for the court's decision at the Seoul Detention Center in Gyeonggi-do Province.
The 70-year old faces over 40 charges, most of which are related to "abuse of power."
He's accused of using trials as bargaining chips in his dealings with the former Park Geun-hye government to achieve his long-envisioned plan of establishing a separate court of appeals,... and creating a blacklist of judges who opposed his plan.
These trials include ones filed by Korean plaintiffs against Japanese firms that forced them to work for little or no pay during World War II.
Explaining his decision to issue the arrest warrant, the judge at the Seoul Central District Court said the allegations against Yang were clear and serious,... and there are concerns he may destroy evidence.
During the arrest warrant review, prosecutors presented more evidence showing Yang was not merely "engaged" in the alleged crimes, but actively coordinated them.
Yang defended his "rightful" exercise of power and placed blame either on subordinates or memory lapses.
Yang will now attend trial hearings from the Seoul Detention Center.
Since he was a former head of the judiciary, it's likely that he will be placed in a cell separate from other inmates as was the case with former President Park Geun-hye, also detained at the center.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.