Dachuri Leader Ji Tae Kim’s Trail Closed in 4 Minutes.
Today, Oct. 13, the trail of Mr. Ji Tae Kim, Representative of the residents of Daechuri, was opened in the in the 23rd courtroom of the Pyongtaek courthouse at 11:56am. It was closed in 4 minutes after the prosecution, represented by Mr. Im Yul Choe, presented evidence related to Mr. Kim’s role in the 7.10 peace march, claiming it was new.
The prosecution stated that at this stage of the trial, if there was an unfinished discussion or new evidence had been discovered it was possible to ask for the trial to be reopened and continued. On this basis the trail was closed and the next date set for November 3 at 10am.
On the 22nd of last month when the trail of Mr. Kim was near an end, the prosecution had asked for an extension of the case on the basis of having new evidence. Residents and the KCPT have criticized this as an excuse to keep Mr. Kim imprisoned and an example of human rights violation.
Hearing the conclusion, aged residents of Dachuri and Doduri who had come to witness the trial raised angry voices claiming that it is unreasonable to keep Mr. Kim in prison and postpone the verdict. They shouted, “How is it that there can be another trail? How is it that the verdict is postponed?” They were able to remain in court room for a few minutes before being made to leave.
The defense lawyer, Mr. Dukwoo Lee said, “The prosecution presented evidence as if it were new but there was nothing new. Even if a verdict is reached in the next one or two weeks, this is unreasonable.”
Ms. Yoo-gyung Go, representative from the legal team for Pan South Korean Solution Committee to Stop the Base Expansion in Pyontaek (KCPT) said of the evidence presented by the prosecution, “after hearing it, I see that there is nothing new. Everything was already presented in the written arraignment. The purpose of this was just to have the trial pushed back.” “This is an underhanded move” she criticized. She said that KCPT will carry out a petition campaign and try to post bail again.
The group who came to witness the trail today reached 700 in number and was mainly made up of Daechuri and Doduri residents as well as social justice organizations.
Mr. Ji Tae Kim has been in jail for over four months on charges related to his role in the 7.10 demonstration and disturbing public affairs.
There was also a trail scheduled in the afternoon today for 9 members of social justice organizations in relation to the struggle with police on May 4th made in attempt to stop the base expansion. Several other related trails have been scheduled the upcoming weeks. According to Mr. Jung Hyun Moon of KCPT, “this is a measure to keep the residents isolated by tying up activist in legal problems as the forced eviction draws near.” Indeed, as the legal battle related to Pyongtaek, continues and the destruction of still-occupied houses nears, the decisions of the courts is drawing attention. |
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