The Democratic Party of Korea held an emergency forum on October 2 to pressure Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae regarding his refusal to recommend Supreme Court justices, arguing that it infringes on the public's right to a fair trial. This move is seen as a last-ditch effort to intensify pressure on Cho ahead of the National Assembly's audit, where he is expected to testify on October 6.
Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok, along with members of the judiciary committee from the ruling coalition, convened the forum to assert that Cho's refusal to make recommendations has violated citizens' rights to prompt judicial proceedings.
Kim stated, "The judiciary should contribute to upholding the Constitution and democracy, but the public is questioning whether the Supreme Court, the pinnacle of our judiciary, is constitutional and democratic." He expressed doubts about whether Cho's authority to recommend justices is superior to the appointment power held by President Lee Jae-myung, emphasizing that the current vacancy in the Supreme Court is infringing on the public's right to a fair trial.
Seo Young-kyu, chair of the judiciary committee, echoed these concerns, stating that the refusal to recommend justices has compromised the right to a speedy trial. "The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to a prompt trial. The Chief Justice's duty to recommend justices is also enshrined in the Constitution. However, Cho has unilaterally infringed upon this right," she said.
Seo further alleged that Cho exerted pressure on the head of the Court Administration Office, Noh Kyung-pil, to compel candidates to withdraw their nominations. "Cho instructed Noh to personally call the candidates he preferred to appoint," she claimed, adding that while the administration office announced it would reconstitute the Supreme Court Justice Recommendation Committee, this was effectively a coercive withdrawal.
The Democratic Party appears to be launching a public relations campaign against Cho's refusal to recommend justices ahead of the upcoming audit. Previously, on September 28, the judiciary committee, led by the Democratic Party, voted to summon Cho as a general witness for the audit. Committee members, including Seo, indicated they would question Cho about the reasons behind his refusal to recommend justices and the context of the calls made to the candidates.
Cho has also indicated that he may attend the audit to address related questions, suggesting that the issue of his refusal to recommend justices will be a significant topic during the proceedings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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