Supreme Court justice nominee Kim Sung-soo (57, Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 24) stated regarding the issue of resubmitting a Supreme Court justice candidate that "looking strictly at the text of the law, it is correct that a candidate recommendation committee must be formed every time a candidate is recommended (submitted)."

Nominee Kim gave this response during his National Assembly confirmation hearing on the afternoon of the 14th in reply to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Yong-geun asking, "The Court Organization Act stipulates that a recommendation committee is formed every time a Supreme Court justice candidate is submitted; is there any room for interpretation here?"

However, apart from the wording of the regulation, Nominee Kim left room for discussion by saying, "I believe there are various considerations."

In response to another question—"The Court Organization Act also states that once candidates are recommended, the relevant recommendation committee is deemed to be dissolved. Does the recommendation committee that recommended Nominee Kim currently exist, or is it deemed dissolved?"—he replied, "According to the legal provisions, it is correct to view it as dissolved."

Meanwhile, when asked, "Is it correct that the recommendation committee that recommended Nominee Son Bong-ki has been dissolved?", he answered, "The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court seems to be agonizing over that part."

Previously, on August 18, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Cho Hee-dae nominated Son Bong-ki, Senior Judge of the Daegu District Court, for appointment as the successor to former Supreme Court Justice Roh from among four candidates recommended by the recommendation committee. However, the presidential office demanded a resubmission, calling it a "one-sided written nomination without substantive consultation."

While the presidential office has signaled that a resubmission should be made from among the remaining three candidates previously recommended by the committee, the prevailing view inside and outside the judiciary is that a new recommendation committee should be formed and the recommendation process restarted.

There are also concerns that if the presidential office's demand is accepted, the Chief Justice's nomination authority could effectively be neutralized.

Regarding the presidential office's demand for resubmission, when People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo asked, "Is the Chief Justice a subordinate of the President?", Nominee Kim replied, "I think they are in positions where they must mutually respect each other."

He added, "The Chief Justice is deeply deliberating for a very long time, and I understand that as a judicial administrator, he is considering not only various legal reviews but also the political situation and multiple factors."