The Democratic Party of Korea criticized Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on August 7 for delaying the exercise of his authority to recommend Supreme Court justices without valid reasons. However, the party urged caution regarding calls for his impeachment made by some candidates for party leadership.
Acting party leader and floor leader Han Byung-do stated during a meeting at the National Assembly that "it has been over five months since former Supreme Court Justice Roh Tae-ak retired, leaving a vacancy in the position."
He added, "Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly based on the chief justice's recommendations. The refusal to exercise this authority by Chief Justice Cho has paralyzed the entire appointment process."
Han also pointed out the "abnormal situation" where the process for selecting a successor for Supreme Court Justice Lee Heung-gu, who is set to retire in September, is underway without filling the current vacancy.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the Supreme Court must promptly conclude hearings on major insurrection cases, warning that the decision to refer cases to the full bench should not delay justice for insurrection crimes. "We will be watching this closely with the public," he said.
In response, floor spokesperson Kim Seong-hwa urged against overinterpreting Han's comments, stating, "He did not mention impeachment, so please refrain from expanding on that."
Earlier, candidate Song Young-gil held a press conference at the National Assembly, announcing his intention to push for Chief Justice Cho's impeachment as a party stance. Candidate Kim Min-seok also expressed agreement with this position.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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