The Democratic Party criticized Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on October 7 for delaying the exercise of his authority to nominate justices without a valid reason. However, some party leadership candidates cautioned against overinterpreting calls for impeachment against the Chief Justice.
Han Byeong-do, the party's acting leader and floor leader, stated during a National Assembly meeting, "It has been over five months since former Justice Roh Tae-ak's retirement in March, leaving a vacancy in the court." He added, "The Chief Justice nominates justices, who are then appointed by the president with the National Assembly's consent. The refusal to exercise this nomination authority has paralyzed the entire appointment process."
He further pointed out, "It is absurd that the nomination process for the successor of Justice Lee Heung-gu, who is set to retire in September, is proceeding without filling the current vacancy."
Additionally, Han emphasized the need for the Supreme Court to expedite the hearings of major insurrection cases, warning, "The decision to refer cases to the full court should not be a means to delay justice for insurrection. We will be watching closely with the public."
In response, floor spokesperson Kim Seong-hwa urged caution, stating, "Han did not mention impeachment, so please refrain from overinterpreting his comments."
Earlier, candidate Song Young-gil held a press conference at the National Assembly, announcing his intention to push for impeachment of Chief Justice Cho as a party line. Candidate Kim Min-seok also expressed agreement with this stance.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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