▲ Kim Dae-woong, President of the Seoul High Court, and other court presidents take an oath during a parliamentary audit of the Seoul High Court, Seoul Central District Court, and others held by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly on the 16th.
Kim Dae-woong, President of the Seoul High Court, stated regarding the conflict over the re-recommendation of Supreme Court justices that the president's appointment power, the chief justice's recommendation power, and the National Assembly's consent power are equal.
President Kim gave this response during a parliamentary audit of the Seoul High Court and other courts by the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 16th, when People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun asked, "The presidential office explains that the chief justice's recommendation power supports the president's appointment power."
President Kim stated, "I do not think there is any hierarchy among the recommendation power, consent power, and appointment power."
This echoes remarks previously made by Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae during a parliamentary audit, where he stated that "the chief justice's recommendation power, the National Assembly's consent power, and the president's appointment power must each be respected in accordance with their constitutional significance."
Regarding the prolonged vacancy of Supreme Court justices, President Kim expressed concern, saying it is "undesirable."
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Dong-a asked regarding Senior Judge Kim Min-ki of the Seoul High Court, who was recommended by the Supreme Court Justice Recommendation Committee, "Do you think he has sufficient qualifications to become a Supreme Court justice?"
Seoul High Court President Kim Dae-woong replied, "I think those recommended by the Candidate Recommendation Committee were recommended because they have the qualifications commensurate with that."
Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties unanimously criticized the shortage of ballot papers during the June 3 local elections.
People Power Party lawmaker Kim Min-jeon raised suspicions of "protecting one's own family," pointing out that the courts dismissed search warrant applications multiple times during the investigation process into the National Election Commission (NEC).
Oh Min-seok, President of the Seoul Central District Court, responded to the effect that warrant-issuing judges carefully review whether there is an explanation of criminal charges and whether a search and seizure is necessary by grasping the case records and facts and applying legal principles, and that they do not consider whether the court president or senior presiding judge serves as a member of the election commission.
Lawmaker Kim pointed out, "There are suspicions that judges are acting as a kind of figurehead for the election commission," and asked, "Shouldn't the court voluntarily decide not to serve as election commission chairs?"
Seo Young-kyo, a Democratic Party lawmaker and chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, also stated, "Issues are being raised that warrants continue to be dismissed by the special counsel, and we haven't seen communication warrants being dismissed very often. I think it is necessary to look back once more and respond thoroughly."
Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Park Eun-jung pointed out, "You should apologize to the public for failing to properly manage the elections as head of the election commission."
Court President Oh Min-seok apologized, saying, "I feel sorry about the situation where various problems are being caused by the ballot paper shortage."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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