The "rumor of a meeting between Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo" raised by the Democratic Party of Korea has escalated into a truth battle between the ruling and opposition parties, with the fallout intensifying. While shifting to a "judicial coup" frame, the Democratic Party stepped back on the question of veracity, saying it was "an issue raised by individual lawmakers." The People Power Party countered that it was a "shameless political scheme" and filed complaints against the lawmakers who raised the suspicion.
The Democratic Party's leadership backed away from a stance that had used the "meeting rumor" to pressure Chief Justice Cho to step down and pivoted to saying the matter "should be clarified through an investigation." Park Sang-hyeok, senior deputy floor spokesperson for communications, said on YTN Radio on the 22nd, "The issue can be brought to light through an investigation." Floor spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung also said on MBC Radio that she believes there is an informant, but drew a line, saying, "This is not a joint response at the level of the floor leadership. Individual lawmakers, as constitutional officers, are at the stage of raising suspicions."
Instead, the Democratic Party moved to shift the frame. In a commentary on the 20th, floor spokesperson Baek Seung-ah said, "The essence of the controversy over Chief Justice Cho is the suspicion of election interference and a judicial coup, and the need for judicial reform," putting the discourse on judicial reform front and center. This appears to reflect a calculation that focusing on the reform rationale, rather than the meeting rumor whose credibility has been questioned, is politically advantageous.
The "meeting rumor" is the suspicion that, just before the presidential election, Chief Justice Cho met with former Prime Minister Han and others and said, in essence, that "the Lee Jae-myung case will be handled by the Supreme Court." After Open Sympathy TV reported an informant's audio in May, Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo brought it up in the National Assembly Judiciary Committee immediately after the Lee Jae-myung presidential case was remanded. Lawmaker Boo Seung-chan mentioned it again during interpellations of the government on the 16th, and party leader Jeong Cheong-rae also posted on social media, "If it is true, what should Chief Justice Cho do?", amplifying the controversy.
Chief Justice Cho, however, flatly denied it, saying, "There is absolutely no fact that I discussed anything with former Prime Minister Han." The Democratic Party likewise failed to present additional evidence, and the matter has turned into a truth battle. Statements by Democratic Party lawmakers over the credibility of the informants also diverged. Rep. Seo said, "I heard that if a special prosecutor investigates, the informants are willing to come forward and talk," but Rep. Boo, while saying "the informants are trustworthy people," held back on releasing additional evidence, saying, "The two informants are in a difficult position."
Within the party, some voices worry about blowback due to the lack of grounds for the "meeting rumor" and mixed messaging. They say the political burden could grow if the core agenda of judicial reform is buried under a battle over suspicions. Still, there is also a view that, since public distrust of the judiciary exists, the blowback will be limited. A senior lawmaker said, "If you have conviction and don't raise the suspicion, won't it just be buried?" adding, "These days, camps are divided and people believe what they want to believe, so there will be no blowback."
The People Power Party on this day filed police complaints against Democratic Party lawmakers Seo Young-kyo and Boo Seung-chan on charges including violating the Information and Communications Network Act and defamation by spreading false information. In a commentary, senior floor spokesperson Choi Eun-seok said, "If you are convinced, why can't you disclose (additional evidence)?" and criticized, "Speaking of the 'essence' when the facts of the meeting and remarks have not been verified is a textbook political agitation tactic to turn suspicions into established facts." Following the complaints against the two lawmakers, the People Power Party plans additional action against about 10 Democratic Party lawmakers, including party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, who spread the related suspicions via social networking services (SNS).