A UN special rapporteur is urging the South Korean government to take necessary measures over power abuse allegations against the country’s judiciary bench.

According to local civic groups, including Lawyers for a Democratic Society, or Minbyun in Korean, Diego Garcia-Sayan, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, sent a letter to the Seoul government in response to a petition they submitted after the allegations were first raised in June last year. 

In the letter, Garcia-Sayan called on the Moon Jae-in administration to take all necessary, tentative measures to punish those implicated in the confirmed wrongdoings during the former Park Geun-hye government and prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.   

He also asked the Moon government to reply within 60 days with more detailed information regarding the allegations.