Supreme Court reviews procedures after presidential office demands re-nomination of justice

The Supreme Court has initiated a review of its appointment procedures amid a standoff with the presidential office over the nomination of a Supreme Court justice. The Blue House requested the re-nomination of Son Bong-ki, a judge nominated by Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to succeed former Justice Noh Tae-hak.

The Supreme Court had initially considered re-opening the nomination committee to recommend new candidates, anticipating the presidential office might reject Cho's nomination. However, the Blue House's demand for a re-nomination from the existing pool of candidates prompted the court to examine its procedural options.

The nomination process for Noh Tae-hak's successor has been stalled for an extended period due to differing opinions between the court and the presidential office. The Supreme Court's recommendation committee had put forward four candidates in January, including Son Bong-ki. Ultimately, Chief Justice Cho nominated two candidates on May 18: Kim Seong-soo for the successor of Justice Lee Heung-gu, who is set to retire next month, and Son Bong-ki for Noh Tae-hak's position.

The presidential office has indicated it would not accept Son Bong-ki's nomination, citing a lack of prior consultation. This disagreement has created a significant hurdle in filling the vacant judicial seat.