Moon names new nominee for Constitutional Court chief

By Kim Hyo-jin

Lee Jin-sung

President Moon Jae-in named Lee Jin-sung, an incumbent Constitutional Court justice, as a chief of the court, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.

This is his second nomination attempt of someone to head the top court following the National Assembly’s rejection of his first nominee Kim Yi-su, who has been acting head of the court.

For the position, parliamentary approval is a must. If the Assembly endorses the nomination, Lee will head the court until Sept. 19, 2018, the end of his six-year term as a court justice. Lee was appointed on the recommendation of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae, Sept. 20, 2012.

While only a Constitutional Court justice can be appointed to the chief justice position, there is no clear rule of whether a new chief justice gets an entirely new six-year term or just serves the remainder of his or her original six-year term as a justice.

Before the nomination, Cheong Wa Dae demanded the Assembly set a rule about this; as the President will need to find a replacement a year from now. But the Assembly has not moved, and so Moon eventually named Lee.

“Lee has made rulings embracing social minorities and protecting citizen rights from the authorities, upholding people’s basic rights and the Constitution,” presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said, explaining the reasons for the nomination.

“Lee was viewed as the best fit for the post to stabilize the court that has been left with a leadership vacuum for a long time,” he said, noting the nominee is the next senior justice after Kim and has immense experience of serving as the head of judicial bodies.

Lee, 61, served as a deputy chief of the National Court Administration and the head of the Seoul Central District Court. During the impeachment judgment of former President Park Geun-hye earlier this year, Lee made supplementary statements along with Kim, pointing out she neglected her duty when dealing with the tragic Sewol ferry incident.

The court’s chief post has remained vacant since former Chief Justice Park Han-chul retired in January. The Assembly voted down Kim, Sept. 11, questioning his political neutrality.