On the 24th, the Cho Eun-suk insurrection special counsel team investigating allegations related to the Dec. 3 martial law said it would take steps to ensure that the Korean Bar Association (KBA) can impose disciplinary action for courtroom order violations by the defense team of former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun.
Special Counsel Park Ji-young said at a regular briefing held at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office that "we are collecting related materials on courtroom disturbances, commotion, and insulting remarks by Kim Yong-hyun's defense," and made the announcement.
Earlier, attorneys for the former minister appeared with the former minister, who took the stand as a witness at former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's trial on the 19th, and were ordered to leave the courtroom by the bench. The reason was that under the Criminal Procedure Act, counsel and others may be present only when a crime victim is being examined as a witness.
They then shouted that it was an abuse of authority and caused a commotion, and the bench sentenced each of them to 15 days of detention for contempt. However, because the personal details needed to execute the detention were not properly delivered to the Seoul Detention Center, they were released that night. Afterward, they appeared on the YouTube channel "Charge of the Lawyers" and openly criticized the bench, and the court decided to re-execute the detention.
Regarding this, Special Counsel Park said, "A courtroom must be more sacred than any other place, and attorneys have a minimum level of courtesy and dignity they must observe in court," adding, "In a trial broadcast live to the entire nation, such actions or remarks can instill a distorted perception of the court."
As for the Democratic Party of Korea's Special Committee for Comprehensive Response to the Three Special Counsels urging a special counsel investigation into Chief Justice Jo Hee-de, the team said, "Multiple complaints have been filed against the judiciary, and there are various reports of allegations, so we are checking the facts," and added, "We are reviewing internal judiciary meetings held after the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law."
In addition, the special counsel is currently investigating allegations that former Minister Kim Yong-hyun was involved in former Defense Intelligence Command chief Noh Sang-won receiving personal information on Defense Intelligence Command agents during the preparation of martial law. Noh, who allegedly sought to form a "second investigative team" to probe alleged election fraud, has been brought to trial on charges of receiving personal information on Defense Intelligence Command agents through then-Defense Intelligence Command chief Moon Sang-ho.