Clash Intensifies Over Supreme Court Justice Recommendations... Ruling Party: "Insurrectionary in Nature"; Opposition: "Intimidation of the Judiciary"

[Financial News] The conflict between the ruling and opposition parties is intensifying after Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae rejected the Blue House's demand that a candidate for Supreme Court justice be recommended again. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) characterized Cho's decision as having an insurrectionary nature and even raised the possibility of a parliamentary investigation and a special counsel. The People Power Party (PPP) countered that the Blue House was infringing on the Chief Justice's constitutional authority to recommend candidates.
Kim Min-seok, leader of the DPK, appeared on the party's official YouTube channel, 'Minti07,' on the 23rd and criticized Cho Hee-dae's refusal to make a new recommendation, saying, "It has an essential insurrectionary character." Kim added, "There has never been a case of a chief justice ignoring the Constitution and laws in this way and playing a power struggle with the president," calling it "an unprecedented ember of insurrection."
Kim avoided giving a direct answer on calls from some ruling-party figures to impeach Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae. He stated, however, "It is also very important to go through a process of helping the public understand, explaining the situation and persuading them," adding, "There could be various inquiries in the National Assembly or a parliamentary investigation, and, if necessary, a special counsel could also be appointed."
PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk took aim at both President Lee Jae-myung and Kim Min-seok. In a Facebook post that day, Jang wrote, "Lee Jae-myung and Kim Min-seok's 'disastrous collaboration,'" and added, "Every policy has failed. In the end, they pulled out the same old insurrection card."
The PPP defended Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's refusal to make a new recommendation and turned its criticism toward the Blue House. The party argued that the president's demand for a new recommendation itself undermines the Chief Justice's constitutional authority to recommend candidates. The PPP is calling on the National Assembly to submit the confirmation motion for candidate Son Bong-gi for Supreme Court justice, whom Cho had already recommended.
PPP lawmakers on the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee emphasized, "Neither the Constitution nor any law gives the president the authority to order the chief justice to replace a candidate and bring forward another one," adding, "The president must immediately submit to the National Assembly the confirmation motion for candidate Son Bong-gi, whom Chief Justice Cho recommended." They also pushed back against references within the DPK to impeaching Chief Justice Cho, calling them intimidation of the judiciary.
The conflict intensified after Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae formally rejected the Blue House's request for a new recommendation the previous day. Cho said the request sent by the Blue House on the 28th of last month provided neither specific reasons nor a constitutional basis, stating, "I cannot comply with the request for a new recommendation."
The Blue House countered that the claim that the president must appoint the candidate recommended by the chief justice as is would undermine the president's constitutional authority to make appointments. As the DPK leaves open the possibility of further measures, including a parliamentary investigation and a special counsel, and the PPP defends the Chief Justice's authority to recommend candidates, the conflict over the appointment of a Supreme Court justice is expected to continue for the time being.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter