Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Victory by Forfeit
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"Off the record, allow me one comment. As the plaintiff side has stated, the law must protect the weak."
Kang Hyun stepped forward, quelling the commotion.
"But that doesn't mean the law should follow the weak, or that the weak should follow the law. This is precisely the path by which the law protects the weak."
"Your Honor, only statements related to the trial..."
Dan Chorok spoke urgently, but she had no choice except to shut her mouth.
"This is an objection to the defendant side's final argument, a rebuttal starting from that final argument and countering all the way through the lead counsel's claims."
Kang Hyun's gestures somehow seemed even more intense and forceful than Dan Chorok's aggressive ones.
Certainly, compared to his usual self, this was a strategically crafted demeanor.
Article 103 of the Republic of Korea Constitution:
Judges shall independently adjudicate according to their conscience
under the Constitution and the law.
Judgments can never always be the same.
Since they are made by human judgment,
there is no such thing as a "predetermined verdict" until the trial concludes.
Kang Hyun knew this all too well.
"No verdict is predetermined under any circumstances. Therefore, Your Honor and everyone present in the courtroom, I would be grateful if you would hear me out."
"..."
The judge, perhaps struck by a moment of self-reflection, did not stop him.
Kang Hyun had landed a perfect blow in response to his reaction.
"There's a famous story among legal professionals about the elephant of prejudice and the judge."
Kang Hyun smiled faintly as he looked at the judge.
"In pursuit of fair trials and the protection of the weak, the judge desperately engages in the proceedings. But a judge riding atop the elephant called 'prejudice' can only judge at the small watering hole where the beast takes him—no matter that a vast ocean lies right beside it."
"...I accept. Please continue."
In the end, victory for Kang Hyun.
Song Ha-dong, seated in the gallery, unconsciously fiddled with his gaunt jaw. He was already immersed in Kang Hyun's words, as if watching a movie or reading a book.
"Our country's B Workshop is a small business with just over a dozen employees. Since opening in 1995, they have never once violated the law—a diligent operation. As reward, they expanded in 2000, signing a service contract with American megacorp A Corporation for technical support, which dispatched Plaintiff A."
He was trying to flip—or at least equalize—the positions of "the weak" in this case.
Dan Chorok shot up her hand as if to stop him.
Then she sprang to her feet.
Her face flushed red as she rose with exaggerated motions to counter Kang Hyun's claim head-on.
"Objection! Your Honor, the defense is not viewing the case within the framework of the law—they're appealing to emotion..."
"Your Honor, it is the plaintiff side appealing to emotion. They've only disclosed that Plaintiff A is a foreigner and a worker in an employment relationship, hiding the rest to make A seem like the victim. A is a high-salary engineer whose skills were recognized over years at U.S. Corporation A. The workshop, meanwhile, was tossed around at the plaintiff's whim, losing even its independence until the contract ended. Please check the records."
But Kang Hyun, with an equally forceful tone, grand gestures, and an impassive expression, calmly countered her.
As if flipping the trial on its head was child's play.
"..."
Dan Chorok gritted her teeth.
Her reason screamed from her head that she had to stop here, but her body refused to listen.
She merely suppressed her rising anger and lowered her voice.
"...I did not appeal to emotion. I merely explained the plaintiff's position based on objective evidence so Your Honor could understand."
"Then I'm doing the same. I'll proceed assuming the plaintiff side understands."
"No."
She trembled with rage.
Like she'd fallen completely into a trap, she couldn't hide her excitement and launched a sharp offensive with glaring eyes.
"Objection to the plaintiff side's prior statement as well. It's clear the plaintiff and defendant entered a legitimate employment contract, yet the defense is now sowing confusion with absurd claims. If not, they should have objected when we first argued the first and second contracts were valid. The defense objection is improper."
"..."
The judge seemed to ponder her words for a moment.
Until now, Seok Ji-hoon's side had pushed aggressively, laying the foundational logic of all their arguments—and now Kang Hyun was shaking it.
But...
"Plaintiff's objection overruled. Defense, proceed."
The judge sided with Kang Hyun's team.
At the same time, Woo Si-hyung and Yoon Chan-rim's faces lit up.
"Yes."
Kang Hyun paused thoughtfully, then unplugged the mic from the co-counsel table and strode to the center of the courtroom.
It might have seemed impulsive, but not a single person among the many present moved to stop him or questioned his actions.
Because his demeanor matched that of a prosecutor about to interrogate a witness on the stand.
A battle-hardened veteran prosecutor with years of experience.
Kang Hyun stared down Dan Chorok, who stood frozen at the plaintiff co-counsel table, with overwhelming intensity.
"I'll continue my rebuttal. The plaintiff side may counter anytime. As I said earlier, the plaintiff and defendant did not enter an employment contract under the Labor Standards Act."
"Objection. Did the defense even check the contract before coming to trial?"
"I'll explain."
Even against her sneering, hand-raised retort—as if she'd been waiting—he responded calmly, utterly unshaken.
And so began their fierce, rapid-fire exchange.
"The first contract on October 1, 2000—providing services for a set fee—and the second on October 1, 2004, for the same, were clearly not between Plaintiff A and B Workshop. These were contracts between A's affiliate Corporation A and B Workshop. A and B Workshop have no contract between them."
"Objection! Since A Corporation and A were in an employment relationship, A Corporation can be seen as a third-party labor broker, making the contracts effective."
"That's just 'if you think so.' Assuming hypotheticals in this sacred courtroom? Plaintiff employer A Corporation lacked neither autonomy nor independence as a business entity. Far larger than B Workshop, it wasn't nominal or formalistic. A Corporation is neither a third party nor a labor broker."
"Even so, the defendant employee A was substantively subordinate to B Workshop! The workshop gave instructions and orders regarding work..."
"B Workshop exercised no personnel or disciplinary authority beyond work-related instructions and orders, so an implicit employment relationship cannot be recognized. The plaintiff's statement blatantly misunderstands the law on employment relationships between labor suppliers, recipients, and workers."
"...I'll counter-rebut."
Unlike at the start, Dan Chorok's deflated momentum now signaled the winner clearly.
Her subdued vigor dragged her words as she broke into cold sweat, while Kang Hyun pressed down from above with an ever more blazing expression.
"Rebut."
"This is contempt of court. Twisting out of Employment Security Act Article 33(1)—meant to protect workers and eliminate exploitation—with contrived logic from the employer side..."
"Employment Security Act Article 33(1) only recognizes those permitted by the Minister of Labor in principle. Its fundamental purpose is job stability and contributing to national economic development. A entered an invalid supply contract without the Minister's permission—a violation of the Act. Should Article 33 protect the supply contract between an unlicensed labor supplier and recipient?"
"Ha..."
Dan Chorok laughed as if it were absurd.
But her expression betrayed no such thing. She was already gripped by fear of Kang Hyun's overwhelming logic and relentless assault.
A clash of spears.
In just a few exchanges, she felt in her bones that hers had shattered.
Until now, she'd believed—and indeed it was—her spear sharper than any other's...
But only until meeting Kang Hyun.
'I never thought he'd be this good...'
Dan Chorok ground her teeth.
When they'd investigated him beforehand, he was the type to exploit minute gaps meticulously—not one to charge headlong, or keep biting even if the opponent struck back.
Yet that's exactly what he was doing now.
Dan Chorok knew precisely what that meant.
An overwhelming gap in skill.
Kang Hyun had been toying with her.
And sending a message.
You aren't my opponent—call the boss. Instinctively sensing it, she turned back in panic to look at Seok Ji-hoon. But he stared straight ahead, expressionless. Remembering his words, she shuddered with regret. 'Seok Ji-hoon was right.' They should have played defense. Pushing with "perfect logic" would invite a counterattack. Minimize damage by conceding what must be conceded. But her wrong judgment had tossed them a chew toy for the wolves. An irreparable blunder. She sprang up. Finally, Seok Ji-hoon rose from his seat. Everyone swallowed dryly, focusing attention on his words. Would a new battle begin? As all tensed and watched him— Click. Seok Ji-hoon turned off his mic. Then, with a meaningful smile laden with implications toward Kang Hyun, he uttered his final words.
"No need to watch further. We've lost."
"See you at the international competition."
With that, Seok Ji-hoon turned sharply and walked out. It was a forfeit—a concession. The best choice he could make.
"Plaintiff side? Plaintiff side?"
Ignoring even the judge's call, he stormed out—and someone followed. Korea University Law Center Director Gong Hyun-jeong. Her face twisted in fury, eyes murderous, she abandoned her judge's seat before the contest even ended. Her momentum suggested she'd shove aside anyone in her path, so the staff hurriedly stepped aside in confusion, trailing after her.
"..."
Silence filled the courtroom. And in the center of the stage, bathed in all the spotlights, stood Kang Hyun tall. In the long silence, judges, gallery spectators—even Director Song Ha-dong and Professor Cheon Woong-jae—held their breaths. At last, the judge spoke.
"...Participant Team 16, Number 26. Due to the plaintiff side's forfeit, this finals match concludes with victory for Team 3, Number 13—Kang Hyun, Woo Si-hyung, Yoon Chan-rim—of the Korea University Mock Court Competition."
"Yes!"
"Hyung! We did it!"
No sooner had the words left than Woo Si-hyung and Yoon Chan-rim shoved back their chairs, rushed to Kang Hyun, and hugged him tight. An overwhelming victory. Kang Hyun had delivered a victory without a single defeat. The nation's largest mock trial event: the Korea University Mock Court Competition. He had become its champion—the unbeatable top dog. And at just twenty years old. Three first-year undergrads together.