DPK leader urges Supreme Court chief to resign over written recommendation of new justices

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok, left, speaks during a party leadership meeting in the southeastern port city of Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap

Kim Min-seok, former prime minister and newly elected chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), on Wednesday urged Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to step down, taking issue with his written recommendation of two new Supreme Court justice nominees to the president the previous day.

"I believe it is right for Cho, the worst chief justice since the nation's liberation, to step down," Kim said at a party leadership meeting in the southeastern port city of Busan.

"How can a person in the position of chief justice commit such judicial misconduct with such a bare face and without any shame?" Kim said.

On Tuesday, Cho recommended Son Bong-kie of the Daegu District Court and Kim Sung-soo of the Seoul High Court to be appointed as new Supreme Court justices by the president.

Usually, the chief justice visits the president to make a face-to-face recommendation for a new Supreme Court justice after prior coordination. Cho is said to have instead notified the presidential office of his recommended nominees in writing.

Kim said, "The public has endured and given Cho the opportunity for an honorable retirement, but he has brought about a dishonorable retirement himself, just like (former Prime Minister) Han Duck-soo. Why is Cho trying to walk the path of an accomplice to insurrection like Han?"

"Cho's behavior is like that of a delinquent student who breaks a window and then begs to be expelled and allowed to stop studying," he said.

Kim said Cho violated the law through irregular means as soon as calls for his impeachment emerged recently, noting the chief justice has historically and customarily recommended new Supreme Court justices after consulting with the president.

He then urged Supreme Court justices to issue a statement saying that Cho was wrong, expressing confidence that the public would respond with tremendous anger.

At a meeting of the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee, a request for Cho's appearance before the panel passed with approval from DPK lawmakers.

Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) voted against making the request.

Rep. Seo Young-kyo, chair of the committee, said Cho would be questioned about the details of what happened in the recommendation process, as well as the reasons for referring the trials of former first lady Kim Keon Hee, former Prime Minister Han and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to the Supreme Court's full bench.

PPP Rep. Joo Jin-woo, however, argued the right to recommend Supreme Court justices is a prerogative of the chief justice and accused the presidential office of abusing its power by getting involved.