2 senior judges nominated as Supreme Court justices
Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae drinks tea before the start of a meeting of a committee recommending Supreme Court justice candidates at the top court in Seocho District, Seoul, Aug. 4. Yonhap
Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on Tuesday recommended two senior judges to be appointed as justices at the top court by President Lee Jae Myung, officials said.
Cho nominated Son Bong-kie of the Daegu District Court and Kim Sung-soo of the Seoul High Court to fill a vacancy left by former justice Rho Tae-ak and replace outgoing justice Lee Heung-gu.
The appointment process will begin once Lee submits an official request for parliamentary consent for the nominees. The two candidates will assume their post if they pass a parliamentary hearing.
If appointed, they will be the first Supreme Court justices to take office under Lee since his administration launched in June last year.
In Korea, all 14 Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president with the National Assembly's consent.