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On the first day of the 'Crime of Legal Distortion' taking effect, police launched an investigation after Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae was accused of distorting legal principles during the remand process of President Lee Jae-myung's case. This marks the police's inaugural probe into the new offense.

Inaugural Probe into 'Legal Distortion Crime' Begins

Police have launched an investigation after Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae was accused of the 'Crime of Legal Distortion', one of the 'Three Judicial Reform Acts', on its very first day of implementation. The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division of the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters stated that a related complaint was received via the e-People public petition portal on the 2nd, and the case has been assigned to the Gyeonggi Yongin Seobu Police Station for investigation according to future procedures. This case is set to become the police's inaugural investigation into the 'Crime of Legal Distortion,' attracting considerable attention.

Controversy Over Remand of President Lee Jae-myung's Case

The accuser, attorney Lee Byeong-cheol, alleged that Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae intentionally distorted the Criminal Procedure Act when remanding President Lee Jae-myung's case concerning alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act for a retrial with a guilty premise in May last year. At the time, the Supreme Court overturned the second trial's acquittal on May 1st, just 34 days after receiving the case on March 28th, sending it back to the Seoul High Court. The Crime of Legal Distortion stipulates that judges or prosecutors who intentionally distort legal principles during investigation, indictment, or trial processes shall be subject to imprisonment of up to 10 years.

*Source: YouTube: MBC News (2026-03-12)*

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