[Anchor]

Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo stepped up as the first candidate in this week's confirmation hearing political landscape, facing scrutiny at the National Assembly. Rival parties clashed over Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's nomination of the Supreme Court justice candidate and President Lee Jae-myung's trial issues. Regarding allegations that he lived in a Seoul Gangnam jeonse property below market price thanks to a "brother-in-law favor," nominee Kim expressed regret.

Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the details.

[Reporter]

Appearing at the National Assembly confirmation hearing today (the 14th), Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sung-soo has lived since 2011 in an apartment in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, owned by his brother-in-law, and since 2021 in an apartment in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, which his brother-in-law leased through a jeonse deposit.

Regarding suspicions of evading gift taxes by paying rent significantly lower than the market rate, nominee Kim offered an apology, stating that tax payment procedures are currently underway.

[Kim Sung-soo / Supreme Court Justice Nominee: Since we had agreed to share financial procurement costs (with my brother-in-law), I did not think of it as receiving a gift, but I do think it is regrettable.]

The Democratic Party pointed to the Supreme Court's decision last May to remand President Lee Jae-myung's Public Official Election Act violation case with a guilty intent, claiming that "Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae undermined political neutrality." Nominee Kim gave this evaluation:

[Chae Hyun-il / Democratic Party Lawmaker: In Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's case, the remand was processed like lightning in just nine days after being referred to the full bench. Is that possible with 28 years of judicial experience?]

[Kim Sung-soo / Supreme Court Justice Nominee: One could certainly say that such procedural progression was somewhat unusual, but….]

In response, the People Power Party questioned what was so unusual about it, noting that the Supreme Court upheld the principle of prompt trials.

[Joo Jin-woo / People Power Party Lawmaker: By giving answers that pander to power right from the start, how can you become a Supreme Court justice and do your job without minding those in power?]

[Kim Sung-soo / Supreme Court Justice Nominee: If you could understand that as me simply acknowledging or empathizing with the existence of such arguments….]

Lawmakers from the ruling-bloc parties argued that Chief Justice Cho ignored the custom of prior consultation with the president regarding the nomination of Supreme Court justice candidates. Nominee Kim remarked, "There is room for criticism," but added, "I believe he made an appropriate decision as an administrator of judicial administration."

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Won Hyung-hee)