[Anchor]
The ruling and opposition parties clashed during the National Assembly confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo. Regarding allegations of evading gift taxes by living in an apartment in Seoul's Gangnam district below market price through a "brother-in-law privilege," nominee Kim expressed regret.
Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the details.
[Reporter]
Attending the National Assembly confirmation hearing, Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo lived in an apartment in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, owned by his brother-in-law starting in 2011, and later in an apartment in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, which his brother-in-law leased on a jeonse (lump-sum housing deposit) basis starting in 2021.
Addressing suspicions that he evaded gift taxes by paying rent far below market rates, nominee Kim apologized by stating that he is currently going through the tax payment process.
[Kim Sung-soo / Supreme Court Justice Nominee: Since we had agreed to share the financing costs (with my brother-in-law), I didn't think of it as receiving a gift, but I deeply regret it.]
Regarding the Supreme Court's decision in May of last year to remand President Lee Jae-myung's Public Official Election Act violation case with a guilty intent, the Democratic Party argued that Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-de had compromised political neutrality, to which nominee Kim gave this assessment:
[Chae Hyun-il / Democratic Party Lawmaker: In the case of Chief Justice Cho Hee-de's Supreme Court, the case was remanded with lightning speed in just nine days after being referred to the full bench. Is that possible based on 28 years of trial experience?]
[Kim Sung-soo / Supreme Court Justice Nominee: One could certainly say that such procedural progression was somewhat unusual, but...]
In response, the People Power Party questioned what was unusual about it, noting that the Supreme Court simply upheld the principle of prompt trials.
[Joo Jin-woo / People Power Party Lawmaker: By giving answers that pander to power from the start, how can you become a Supreme Court justice and make decisions without keeping an eye on power?]
[Kim Sung-soo / Supreme Court Justice Nominee: I hope you understand that I am merely acknowledging that such an argument exists, rather than validating or agreeing with it.]
Lawmakers from the pan-ruling bloc argued that Chief Justice Cho disregarded the convention of prior consultation with the president when recommending Supreme Court justice nominees. Nominee Kim remarked, "There is room for criticism," while adding, "I believe he made an appropriate decision as the head of judicial administration."
(Camera Reporter: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing: Won Hyung-hee)
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