[Anchor]

In connection with this, the Democratic Party paid a protest visit to the Supreme Court and concentrated party efforts on ramping up pressure, mentioning options such as a parliamentary investigation or a special counsel.

Reporter Go Jeong-hyeon reports.

[Reporter]

Defining Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's refusal to re-recommend Supreme Court justice nominees as a "judicial coup and insurrection," the Democratic Party staged a protest visit to the Supreme Court yesterday (September 23) at the party level.

[Han Byung-do / Democratic Party Floor Leader: Just two days before Chuseok, he abruptly came out with his position. It is stabbing the president in the back while he is away on an overseas tour….]

Chief Justice Cho took annual leave and was away from his office after reporting to work in the morning.

[Seo Young-kyo / Democratic Party Lawmaker: I hesitate to put it this way, but didn't he basically run away?]

Mobilizing party meetings, briefings, and social media, the Democratic Party demanded Chief Justice Cho's resignation, mentioning a parliamentary probe or a special counsel investigation alongside phrases such as an "unprecedented revolt" and "embers of insurrection."

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader: This "unprecedented revolt" will serve as a trigger for judicial reform. We will utilize all powers of the National Assembly to investigate, summon, rebuke, and hold him legally accountable….]

The party placed Chief Justice Cho's commute times and operational expenditures—including encouragement funds for Supreme Court justices flagged by the Board of Audit and Inspection—under intense scrutiny, while also threatening to push for legislation abolishing the National Court Administration.

Although calls for an impeachment motion are mounting in some parts of the ruling camp, the Democratic Party leadership plans to first concentrate on a public relations campaign to highlight the unconstitutional conduct of the Cho Hee-dae judiciary.

The People Power Party fired back, calling the move "double standards and brazen audacity" by the ruling bloc, asserting that the root cause of this situation lies with "President Lee Jae-myung, who seeks to avoid standing trial."

[Jang Dong-hyeok / People Power Party Leader: Ruling party lawmakers swarmed in front of the Supreme Court to prevent Lee Jae-myung from going to prison. The public will protect Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae.]

The party also stated, "Even the National Assembly's right to consent was infringed upon by a demand for re-recommendation that lacks solid constitutional grounds," planning to clarify accountability through a competence dispute trial filed with the Constitutional Court.

(Video by Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Yoo Mi-ra)