Defense Ministry retaliates against challengers of book ban

Posted on : 2010-10-29 14:35 KST Modified on : 2010-10-29 14:35 KST
Military judicial officers dismissed by the government have lost careers in the military, and some have incurred bans on practicing law
 Oct. 28 (Photo by Lee Jong-keun)
Oct. 28 (Photo by Lee Jong-keun)

By Noh Hyun-woong

 

Following the Constitutional Court’s ruling Thursday granting an indulgence to the Ministry of National Defense in its designation and restriction of access to “seditious books,” attention is focusing on the situation of the military judicial officers who played “David” to the ministry’s “Goliath.”

The ministry has already taken explicitly retaliatory measures against the officers in question, who submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court charging that the designation of seditious books was a violation of basic rights.

Now, the same officers appear destined to face personal trials. One dismissed former officer named Park cannot register to practice as an attorney for five years according to the Attorney-at-Law Act. That act states that an individual dismissed from his or her position through impeachment or disciplinary measures cannot become practice until five years have elapsed from the time of dismissal.

Another officer, with the surname Ji, faces an even more difficult situation. Ji had been on track for a career in the military, having passed the military judicial officers’ examination rather than the judicial examination. As he has not met the ten-year continuous service requirement to open a law practice, he is also unable to practice as a civilian attorney.

  

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