Special Counsel for Insurrection Urges Supreme Court to Expedite Decision on Choi Sang-mok's Judge Recusal Motion, Citing Trial Delays

The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok investigating the insurrection has urged the Supreme Court to make a swift decision regarding former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, whose first-instance trial has been suspended for about eight months due to a judge recusal motion.

The special counsel team submitted a written request to the Supreme Court urging a prompt decision on the re-appeal regarding the judge recusal.

The request stated that the lack of a Supreme Court decision for months has prolonged the trial, which inevitably delays the conclusion of the special counsel team's activities.

It also included content emphasizing the need for a swift decision because prolonged trials risk significantly hindering the discovery of the substantive truth, such as the fading memories of relevant witnesses.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Choi was indicted along with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and others on charges of failing to appoint Constitutional Court justice candidates recommended by the National Assembly following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

He was also charged with perjury in the first-instance trial of former Prime Minister Han on insurrection charges.

However, regarding the perjury charge, Choi's legal team filed for a judge recusal last February, arguing that a fair trial could not be expected since Criminal Settlement Division 33 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jin-gwan) had already presided over the first-instance trial of former Prime Minister Han's insurrection case.

The recusal motion was dismissed in both the first instance and the appellate review, but with Choi's side filing a re-appeal, deliberation is currently underway at the Supreme Court.

Following the judge recusal motion, Criminal Settlement Division 33 severed the arguments for Choi's case, leaving the proceedings for Choi suspended for about eight months.

On the other hand, the remaining defendants, including former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, are facing their first-instance sentencing on October 26.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.