A criminal complaint has been filed with the Major Crimes Investigation Agency against Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de over allegations that official expense records were falsified and that bonuses were improperly paid to Supreme Court justices.
Candlelight Action, a civic group, said on the 16th that it had filed a complaint against Jo and unnamed officials of the National Court Administration, accusing them of preparing and using false official documents and of causing losses to the state treasury under the law on aggravated punishment for specific crimes. Jo has also been reported to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over the same allegations by the Rebuilding Korea Party and others.
"Equality before the law must apply first to those who apply the law," Candlelight Action said. "Depending on the results of the investigation, charges of embezzlement in the course of duty and violations of the anti-graft law should be added, and investigators should also examine whether the head of the National Court Administration and other officials were complicit."
In August, the Board of Audit and Inspection said in the findings of a regular audit that the Supreme Court had paid justices an average of 2 million won in cash each month as bonuses from 2022 through April 2024. The board also found that the court had bought about 100 million won worth of wine with official expense funds between 2022 and last year and had recorded the purpose of the spending unclearly.
The ruling party has also alleged that the number of attendees was inflated when Jo paid for meals using official expense funds. The National Court Administration has said Jo was not involved in these matters and that the alleged false recording of attendee numbers stemmed from errors by working-level staff.
Kim Ji-yong, nominee to head the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, said at his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly on the 14th that an investigation into the allegations surrounding Jo "would be possible if a complaint is filed."