Han Byeong-do, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, continued to pressure Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae and Administrative Office of the Courts Director Noh Kyung-pil on August 25 regarding the controversial written nomination process for Supreme Court justices. He demanded they attend the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee to explain why they proceeded with the nominations without consultation.
During a meeting of the Democratic Party's floor leadership, Han criticized Cho for making a unilateral decision on the nominations without following proper procedures. He raised suspicions that the government may have encouraged the rejection of nominations to restructure the candidate pool to better suit its preferences.
Han specifically pointed out that under current law, if a nominee is recommended, the recommendation committee is immediately dissolved. However, if the nomination is rejected, the committee must be reconstituted, highlighting a loophole in the law that Cho allegedly exploited. He urged Cho and Noh to appear before the committee on August 31 to clarify their actions.
Additionally, Han referenced the recent case of missing person Jang Mi-ran, stating, "Following the Jang Yoon-gi case, another tragic incident has raised doubts about the police's investigative capabilities and organizational discipline. The police must undertake significant reforms to regain public trust."
He emphasized that as police powers expand, there must be a corresponding increase in democratic oversight to prevent further public anxiety regarding the new criminal justice system.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.