Cho Hee-dae, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, has nominated Handong Ki, a senior judge at the Daegu District Court, to succeed former Supreme Court Justice Noh Tae-ack. However, on August 20, it was reported that some officials at the Blue House are considering a request for a 're-nomination' without proceeding with the appointment process.
A ruling party official stated, "There are differing opinions regarding the two candidates, including Handong Ki and Kim Seong-soo, a senior judge at the Seoul High Court," adding, "It is possible to consider re-nominating a different candidate instead of Handong Ki."
If this occurs, it would effectively reject Cho Hee-dae's nomination request, potentially escalating the conflict surrounding the Supreme Court appointment.
In response to questions from reporters about whether the Blue House would reject Handong Ki's nomination, a spokesperson stated, "The nomination of Handong Ki is an unprecedented situation in the constitutional history of South Korea, an unusual one-sided notification that bypassed consultations."
However, the spokesperson did not provide a definitive answer regarding the rejection, noting, "This matter requires thorough review of other precedents and laws."
If the Blue House ultimately decides to request a re-nomination for Handong Ki, President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to soon send a confirmation request for Kim Seong-soo to the National Assembly.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.