Blue House says its position on renominating a Supreme Court justice has not changed, in response to Cho Hee-dae’s rebuttal

[Financial News] The Blue House said on the 6th that “our position has not changed,” responding to Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae’s renewed questioning at a parliamentary audit of the constitutional basis for the request to renominate a candidate for Supreme Court justice.
Kang Yoo-jung, the Blue House’s senior spokesperson, said this during a briefing at Chunchugwan that afternoon, in response to a question about whether the Blue House and the Supreme Court had communicated over the prolonged vacancy in a Supreme Court justice seat. “Let me reiterate the position we previously stated,” she said.
Kang said, “The Blue House is making every effort to ensure that follow-up procedures do not impede the people’s full exercise of their right to seek a trial.” She added, “We hope the chief justice will also respect the recommendations of the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee and proceed with the renomination process as swiftly as possible, so that the people’s right to a trial is not infringed by the prolonged vacancy in a Supreme Court justice seat.”
Asked about Chief Justice Cho’s statement that there was no constitutional basis for prior consultations in the process of nominating Supreme Court justices, the spokesperson replied, “We have no separate position,” adding, “We have already announced our detailed position, so please refer to that.”
Earlier that day, Chief Justice Cho explained at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s parliamentary audit of the Supreme Court that prior consultations with the Blue House had been voluntary cooperation aimed at ensuring the swift and smooth appointment of Supreme Court justices. He added, “There is no constitutional problem at all even without consultations.”
As for why he had not complied with the request for renomination, he said he had concluded that it would be difficult to proceed with the next steps because the Blue House’s official letter did not clearly specify the reasons or the constitutional basis.
In August, Chief Justice Cho nominated Judge Son Bong-gi of the Daegu District Court to succeed former Supreme Court Justice Rho Tae-ak. The Blue House requested a renomination that same month, and on the 22nd of last month, Chief Justice Cho said he would not comply.
[email protected] Seong Seok-woo Reporter