Kim Min-seok Calls for Chief Justice's Resignation, Calling Him "Worst Since Liberation"

[Anchor]

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok has called for the resignation of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, labeling him the "worst chief justice since liberation" in connection with the controversy surrounding his written recommendation for Supreme Court justices. Kim launched a harsh critique, referring to the Chief Justice simply as "Cho Hee-dae" without his official title.

Reporter Ha Jeongyeon has the details.

[Reporter]

Following his election as party leader, Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok held his first public Supreme Court-level Supreme Council meeting in Busan today.

Kim opened by expressing regret that he had to speak about the judiciary on the very first day of the newly launched Democratic Party Supreme Council.

He strongly criticized Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae for belatedly issuing a written recommendation for the successor to former Supreme Court Justice Noh Tae-ak without consulting the president, who holds the appointment power.

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader: (Conventionally), Supreme Court justices have been recommended in consultation with the president. Yet, an illegal judicial act of failing to do so has now been carried out. This is judicial abuse.]

Comparing Chief Justice Cho to a delinquent student who breaks a window and then begs to be expelled, Kim publicly pressured him to step down.

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader: Do you think the public is a fool? Cho Hee-dae. I cannot call you Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae. I believe that Cho Hee-dae, the worst chief justice since liberation, should step down.]

Yesterday (the 18th), Chief Justice Cho recommended Daegu District Court Chief Judge Son Bong-ki and Seoul High Court Senior Judge Kim Sung-soo to President Lee Jae-myung as candidates for the succeeding Supreme Court justices following Noh Tae-ak and Lee Heung-goo.

This broke the customary practice where the chief justice coordinates with the president and visits in person for a "face-to-face recommendation," instead reportedly notifying the presidential office via a "written notice," drawing fierce backlash from the Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, at his first public Supreme Council meeting since taking office today, leader Kim emphasized a one-team ethos.

He stated that personnel appointments would be made based on merit and transparency without regard to factions, and that the path chosen by party members would be firmly pursued.

(Camera: Oh Young-chun, Video Editing: Yu Mira)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.