[Anchor]

Regarding Supreme Court Justice nominee Son Bong-ki, who became the center of controversy over written nomination, the Cheong Wa Dae has requested Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to re-nominate a different candidate. Chief Justice Cho expressed regret for causing concern to the public and stated that he would organize and announce his official stance next week.

This report is by reporter Park Yerim.

[Reporter]

Cheong Wa Dae announced this afternoon (August 28) that it has decided not to submit the motion for the appointment consent of nominee Son Bong-ki, who was nominated to succeed former Supreme Court Justice Roh Tae-ak, to the National Assembly, and has requested Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae for a "re-nomination."

It explained the reason for the "re-nomination" was that the process lacked sufficient procedural completeness.

[Kang Yu-jung / Senior Spokesperson for Cheong Wa Dae: Nominee Son Bong-ki was unilaterally nominated in writing without any substantial consultation taking place.]

This comes 10 days after the ruling bloc and the judiciary clashed on the 18th due to Chief Justice Cho's written nomination.

Recalling the "Supreme Court justice appointment procedure" stipulated by the Constitution—"nomination by the Chief Justice, consent by the National Assembly, and appointment by the President"—Cheong Wa Dae defined that the president is a representative directly elected by the people as the sovereign, and the Chief Justice is an official appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly. Therefore, the Chief Justice's nomination power is "an authority to support" the proper exercise of the president's appointment power.

Cheong Wa Dae also emphasized that the nomination power should be exercised fairly by respecting the contents of the Supreme Court Justice Recommendation Committee's recommendations. Since the recommendation committee recommended candidates Kim Min-ki, Park Soon-young, Son Bong-ki, and Yoon Sung-sik as successors to former Justice Roh Tae-ak last January, this is interpreted as a demand to nominate from the remaining three excluding nominee Son.

There is also an interpretation that, given nominee Park is serving concurrently as a member of the National Election Commission and nominee Yoon has become a presiding judge for the trial division dedicated to internal rebellion cases, effectively having candidate Kim in mind.

Chief Justice Cho only answered to reporters asking whether the recommendation committee would be reorganized by saying that he would organize and release his official position next week.

[Cho Hee-dae / Chief Justice: I would like to say that I am sorry for causing concern to the public. Detailed matters are currently under review by us...]

Regarding the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's demand for his attendance on the 31st, Chief Justice Cho submitted an opinion stating that he would not attend, saying, "For the National Assembly to demand testimony regarding the exercise of the nomination power, which is the Chief Justice's constitutionally independent authority, runs counter to the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary."

The People Power Party criticized that Cheong Wa Dae is overtly intimidating the judiciary.

[Park Hyung-soo / Member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, People Power Party: Please do not leave a precedent that the president can pick judicial personnel according to his taste.]

The Democratic Party pressured Chief Justice Cho to proceed with the re-nomination process without delay.

(Photo: Yonhap News) / (Video reporting: Jung Sang-bo, Yoon Hyung | Video editing: Park Sun-soo, Design: Yang Gi-tae)