Judiciary Committee to Summon Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae for August 31 Hearing

South Korea's National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for August 31 to address key judicial and political matters. A central focus will be the summoning of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to testify regarding his written appointment recommendations for Supreme Court justices.

The committee, dominated by the majority Democratic Party, also plans to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to review the treason charges against former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. The committee's vice-chair, Kim Seung-won of the Democratic Party, expressed strong disapproval of what he termed Cho's "excessive disregard" for the National Assembly and the presidential office, demanding a public explanation from the Chief Justice himself rather than relying on proxies.

The opposition People Power Party boycotted the committee's vote to summon Chief Justice Cho, protesting the move. This is not the first attempt to bring Cho before the committee; he was also designated as a witness in a previous session on August 19 but did not appear. The committee's decision to proceed with summoning Cho as a witness, despite the opposition's boycott, underscores the ongoing political tensions surrounding judicial appointments and high-profile legal cases.

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We believe his attitude of disregarding the National Assembly and the Presidential Office is excessive. He must appear before the plenary session and explain in detail what he has done, not hide behind a curtain or a proxy.