Opposition Urges Chief Justice to Nominate Supreme Court Successor, Citing Judicial Distrust

Han Byung-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, has urged Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to promptly nominate a successor for retired Justice Roh Tae-hak. Han stated that the prolonged vacancy, now exceeding five months since Roh's retirement in March, is a self-inflicted wound on judicial trust. He pointed out that the candidate recommendation committee had proposed four nominees in January, but Cho Hee-dae has inexplicably delayed the nomination process. This inaction has paralyzed the entire appointment procedure, which requires the Chief Justice's nomination, parliamentary consent, and presidential appointment under the constitution. Han highlighted the bizarre situation where the process for selecting a successor for Justice Lee Heung-gu, who is set to retire in September, is moving forward while the earlier vacancy remains unfilled. He accused the Chief Justice of neglecting his constitutional duty and fueling public distrust in the judiciary. Han implored Cho Hee-dae to proceed with the nomination without further delay. Additionally, Han addressed the Supreme Court's decision to refer the appeals of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Minister of the Interior Lee Sang-min, who face charges of rebellion, to the full court. He urged the court to expedite these trials, emphasizing that the referral should not serve as a tactic to delay accountability for rebellion. The original deadlines under the special prosecutor law for these cases were missed.

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The vacancy for the successor to former Justice Roh Tae-hak has continued for more than five months.