Ruling Party Calls on Cho Hee-dae to Step Down, Signals Review of Nomination Process

[Financial News] The Democratic Party of Korea is intensifying pressure over Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Korea Cho Hee-dae's nomination of candidates for Supreme Court justice, signaling accountability measures and institutional reforms. Democratic Party lawmakers on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee also raised allegations that candidates were pressured to resign, calling on Cho and Minister of the National Court Administration Noh Gyeong-pil to step down.
At a policy coordination meeting on the 20th, Han Byung-do said the issue surrounding Cho's written nomination of Supreme Court justice candidates was not whether the nomination was made, but "the process, the method, and the intent behind pushing it through after delaying it for 209 days without any explanation and without consulting the appointing authority even once."
Han also said, "The Democratic Party of Korea will hold Cho Hee-dae fully accountable," adding that the party would also review institutional safeguards so that the appointment process for Supreme Court justices would not be left to the arbitrary judgment of a single chief justice.
Democratic Party lawmakers on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee also held a press conference that day, criticizing Noh for personally calling four candidates recommended by the Committee of Recommendation of Supreme Court Justice Candidates and asking whether they agreed to a new candidate recommendation process.
Seo Young-kyo, chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, told reporters, "They said they called because there was a consensus that candidates could be re-recommended if they agreed. But would Cho Hee-dae really not have known about this process?" She added, "I believe they are all accomplices."
The Democratic Party lawmakers on the committee also demanded that Cho appear before the National Assembly to explain the nomination of Supreme Court justice candidates and the circumstances surrounding contact with the candidates, while calling on Cho and Noh to resign.
The party also raised suspicions that contacting the candidates could amount to interference in court proceedings. Lawmaker Kim Yong-min pointed out that one of the candidates was Judge Yoon Sung-sik, who is handling the appeals trial in the insurrection case involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol. He said, "Demanding the resignation of Supreme Court justice candidates and trying to nullify them is an enormous form of pressure and interference in a trial," calling it a "second judicial scandal."
The possibility of impeaching Cho was also raised again. Kim said, "We have already prepared an impeachment motion," but added, "To bring it to a plenary session, we need to consult with the floor leadership. We will proceed step by step."

[email protected] Song Ji-won Reporter