The People Power Party stated on September 22 that Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's rejection of President Lee Jae-myung's request for a recommendation was "the best choice for a Chief Justice." The party dismissed claims from the Blue House and the Democratic Party that Cho's decision violated the Constitution as "groundless assertions."
Jang Dong-hyuk, the party's leader, held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "Chief Justice Cho has shown a firm commitment to maintaining the independence of the judiciary."
He argued that the request for a recommendation itself is unconstitutional, asserting that the root cause of the situation lies in President Lee's insistence on appointing 'Kim Min-ki' as a Supreme Court Justice. Jang claimed that the president is attempting to place a judge from the 'Our Law Research Group'—a group he selected—on the Supreme Court to secure an acquittal in his own trial.
Jang emphasized, "We must prove that the South Korean judiciary does not succumb to power and that the Constitution is alive by resuming President Lee's trial. I urge the Chief Justice, the courts, and judges to make courageous decisions once again."
Members of the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee, including Park Hyung-soo, Joo Jin-woo, and Kim Min-jeon, held a press conference to condemn the situation, stating, "There has never been such a blatant case of hypocrisy. This is political agitation that misinterprets the Constitution and laws." They questioned, "Is it reasonable to talk about a 'judicial coup' when the president, who has no constitutional authority, is being held accountable for not complying with a request? There is no constitutional or legal basis for the president to order the Chief Justice to change candidates."
The People Power Party's lawmakers voiced that responding to the recommendation request would mean relinquishing the right to recommend. Lawmaker Kim stated, "The recommendation request is akin to 'shopping' for a Supreme Court Justice," raising suspicions that there is an intention to nominate a 'Daejang-dong judge' as a Supreme Court Justice.
Lawmaker Joo described it as a crucial decision to uphold judicial independence, while Park questioned, "What kind of Constitution is the Democratic Party studying to arrive at such absurd interpretations?"
Park Chung-kwon, the party's chief spokesperson, also criticized the Blue House, stating, "It is absurd to claim that the president's appointment power is unconstitutional while infringing on the National Assembly's right to consent by not sending the appointment agreement to the Assembly. The country is in chaos because he refuses to go to prison."
Meanwhile, Jang addressed the recent suspected landmine explosion incident in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), stating, "Considering various circumstances, it is reasonable to assume that North Korea has newly laid landmines." He criticized the president for not even demanding a thorough investigation and merely making a brief comment on social media before leaving for the United States.
He added, "The president is likely praying abroad that it is not 'North Korean landmines.' If he does not stop undermining national security, the public will not forgive him. We will work with the people to prevent the government's destruction of security."
Jang Dong-hyuk, the party's leader, held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "Chief Justice Cho has shown a firm commitment to maintaining the independence of the judiciary."
He argued that the request for a recommendation itself is unconstitutional, asserting that the root cause of the situation lies in President Lee's insistence on appointing 'Kim Min-ki' as a Supreme Court Justice. Jang claimed that the president is attempting to place a judge from the 'Our Law Research Group'—a group he selected—on the Supreme Court to secure an acquittal in his own trial.
Jang emphasized, "We must prove that the South Korean judiciary does not succumb to power and that the Constitution is alive by resuming President Lee's trial. I urge the Chief Justice, the courts, and judges to make courageous decisions once again."
Members of the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee, including Park Hyung-soo, Joo Jin-woo, and Kim Min-jeon, held a press conference to condemn the situation, stating, "There has never been such a blatant case of hypocrisy. This is political agitation that misinterprets the Constitution and laws." They questioned, "Is it reasonable to talk about a 'judicial coup' when the president, who has no constitutional authority, is being held accountable for not complying with a request? There is no constitutional or legal basis for the president to order the Chief Justice to change candidates."
The People Power Party's lawmakers voiced that responding to the recommendation request would mean relinquishing the right to recommend. Lawmaker Kim stated, "The recommendation request is akin to 'shopping' for a Supreme Court Justice," raising suspicions that there is an intention to nominate a 'Daejang-dong judge' as a Supreme Court Justice.
Lawmaker Joo described it as a crucial decision to uphold judicial independence, while Park questioned, "What kind of Constitution is the Democratic Party studying to arrive at such absurd interpretations?"
Park Chung-kwon, the party's chief spokesperson, also criticized the Blue House, stating, "It is absurd to claim that the president's appointment power is unconstitutional while infringing on the National Assembly's right to consent by not sending the appointment agreement to the Assembly. The country is in chaos because he refuses to go to prison."
Meanwhile, Jang addressed the recent suspected landmine explosion incident in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), stating, "Considering various circumstances, it is reasonable to assume that North Korea has newly laid landmines." He criticized the president for not even demanding a thorough investigation and merely making a brief comment on social media before leaving for the United States.
He added, "The president is likely praying abroad that it is not 'North Korean landmines.' If he does not stop undermining national security, the public will not forgive him. We will work with the people to prevent the government's destruction of security."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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