MINJU to Push for First-Ever Parliamentary Investigation into Chief Justice

[Anchor]

The MINJU Party has decided to conduct an unprecedented parliamentary investigation into the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The party stated that it aims to build grounds to determine whether to proceed to impeachment, while the People Power Party criticized the move as oppression of the judiciary.

This is reporter Jeon Yeon-nam.

[Reporter]

The MINJU Party held a general meeting of its lawmakers yesterday afternoon (October 27) and reached a consensus to launch a parliamentary investigation into Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae.

While calls for the impeachment of the Chief Justice were also raised within the party, the policy of pursuing a "parliamentary probe first" was finalized, as MINJU Party leader Kim Min-seok had previously stated.

[Jeon Eun-soo / MINJU Party Floor Spokesperson: Everyone agreed that a parliamentary investigation should be conducted. Therefore, we decided to conduct the parliamentary investigation.]

The MINJU Party plans to submit a request for a parliamentary investigation into Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to the National Assembly plenary session on November 5.

Once the request is submitted, the National Assembly Speaker must report it to the plenary session without delay and form an investigation committee.

Although the specific schedule and scope of the investigation have not yet been finalized, it is expected to include all issues that the broader ruling camp has raised, such as Chief Justice Cho's refusal to re-nominate a Supreme Court justice candidate, allegations of improper execution of business operation expenses, and refusal to take a witness oath.

The Rebuilding Korea Party, which has consistently demanded joining the impeachment, repeatedly proposed proceeding with impeachment concurrently with the parliamentary investigation, while the People Power Party fiercely criticized it, calling the parliamentary probe into Chief Justice Cho "unconstitutional and an attempt to enslave the judiciary."

[Jeong Jeom-sig / People Power Party Floor Leader: This is even more despicable and vicious than impeachment. This is blatant oppression of the judiciary, and we will fight against the tyranny of the parliamentary investigation by the colossal ruling party.]

The People Power Party stated that it will mobilize all available means to block the parliamentary investigation and plans to hold a general meeting of lawmakers soon to discuss countermeasures with its members.

As the possibility grows that an unprecedented parliamentary investigation into a Chief Justice in constitutional history will take place, a head-on collision between the ruling and opposition parties is expected to be inevitable.

(Video by Oh Young-choon, Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Won Hyeong-hee)

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