Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae announced that he will provide an official response next week regarding the Blue House's request for a new Supreme Court nominee. He submitted a statement indicating that he will not attend the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee meeting scheduled for August 31, citing the separation of powers and judicial independence.
Speaking to reporters as he left the Supreme Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on August 28 at 6:11 p.m., Cho expressed, "I apologize for causing concern among the public" regarding the Blue House's request for a new nominee for the Supreme Court. He added, "I am currently reviewing the details," and stated, "I will inform you officially once things are organized next week." When asked if he plans to reconstitute the Supreme Court Nomination Committee, he reiterated, "I will clarify that next week."
Earlier that day, the Blue House effectively rejected Cho's nomination of Son Bong-ki for the Supreme Court and requested that he submit a new nominee. This request came just ten days after Cho formally nominated Son as a successor to former Justice Noh Tae-ack on August 18.
Discussions surrounding the Supreme Court nominee have been ongoing for over six months. The Nomination Committee, formed prior to Noh's retirement, recommended four candidates on January 21, but disagreements between the Blue House and the judiciary over the final nominee have delayed the nomination process.
Additionally, Cho has decided not to attend the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee meeting on August 31. In a statement submitted to the committee, he argued that requiring the Supreme Court Chief Justice to testify about the exercise of his constitutional authority to nominate candidates contradicts the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence.
He also contended that disclosing specific personnel procedures or details about the candidates currently under consideration would be inappropriate.
Cho explained that the Constitution grants the Chief Justice the authority to nominate candidates, the National Assembly the power to consent to appointments, and the President the authority to make appointments, thereby ensuring a system of checks and balances among constitutional bodies to uphold the principle of separation of powers.
He further stated that testifying about the reasons for referring cases to the Supreme Court's full bench would also violate Article 103 of the Constitution, which guarantees judicial independence.
Previously, on August 21, the Legislative and Judiciary Committee decided to conduct a review of Cho's written nomination and the referral of cases involving former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min for their alleged involvement in insurrection-related duties.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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