Lawmakers from South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) carried out an on-site inspection at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, igniting a court audit dispute that underscored deepening political divisions in the National Assembly.
The visit took place as part of the ongoing parliamentary audit but proceeded without the participation of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which staged a boycott. The inspection centered on a May Supreme Court decision remanding an election law case involving President Lee Jae Myung.
At the session, Rep. Choo Mi-ae, chair of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, declared that the purpose was to assess the ruling’s validity and examine the judicial review process. Choo said they will review access logs, internal documents, and budget data on increasing Supreme Court justices. She urged full cooperation from the National Court Administration.
Earlier that day, the committee requested access to records from March 26 to May 1 for justices involved in the case, including internal memos written by judicial researchers. DPK lawmakers said the inspection aimed to confirm if all justices reviewed the 70,000-page case before overturning Lee’s acquittal.
Rep. Kim Gi-pyo of the DPK said the court audit dispute raised serious questions about judicial transparency. “This is an unprecedented case of political intervention by the judiciary,” Kim said. “We must know whether every justice actually read the case file.”
However, the PPP condemned the inspection as unconstitutional interference in an ongoing trial. Rep. Na Kyung-won criticized the move, saying it amounted to an illegal search intended to exonerate President Lee. Rep. Shin Dong-wook added that the ruling party’s actions undermined judicial independence and accused the committee of overstepping its authority.
DPK lawmaker Rep. Park Ji-won confirmed that members of the committee examined the Supreme Court’s full bench courtroom and smaller division chambers during the inspection. “We reviewed both facilities and documents relevant to the case,” Park stated in a Facebook post.
Political analysts say the court audit dispute highlights growing tension between the legislative and judicial branches. They warn that escalating partisanship could erode public trust in both institutions. The controversy also reflects broader concerns about how political pressure may influence judicial proceedings in high-profile cases.
Looking ahead, lawmakers are expected to continue the parliamentary audit, but cooperation between rival parties remains uncertain. As scrutiny grows, both sides face pressure to balance accountability and judicial independence in South Korea’s evolving democracy.
