Cheong Wa Dae: "Refusal to Re-Nominate Neutralizes Presidential Appointment Power... Current Situation Must Not Be Left Unaddressed"

Cheong Wa Dae expressed deep regret today (September 22) after Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae rejected a request to re-recommend a nominee for Supreme Court justice.

An official from Cheong Wa Dae stated, "We express deep regret over the Chief Justice's announcement that he will not re-recommend a successor nominee despite the president's rejection of the initial recommendation."

The official emphasized, "The Chief Justice's position reflects a perception that the Chief Justice's right of recommendation takes precedence over the president's appointment power, which violates the Constitution of the Republic of Korea."

The official also pointed out, "Claiming that the president must appoint whoever the Chief Justice recommends neutralizes the appointment power of a president elected by the people."

The Cheong Wa Dae official explained, "Six months have passed since former Supreme Court Justice Roh Tae-ak retired."

The official continued, "With each Supreme Court justice handling 3,500 to 4,600 cases per year, the vacancy of even one justice directly leads to the infringement of the people's right to a speedy trial."

The official added, "The Chief Justice must face the fact that a prolonged vacancy on the bench results in harm to the public, and he must no longer leave the current situation unaddressed."

Earlier, Chief Justice Cho stated, "I can find no specific constitutional grounds or reasons to justify the request for a re-recommendation," adding, "I cannot comply with the request for re-recommendation."

This came 25 days after Cheong Wa Dae requested a re-recommendation on August 28.

As Cheong Wa Dae immediately pushed back against Chief Justice Cho's stance, the conflict surrounding the Supreme Court justice recommendation has further intensified.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.