Top court chief apologizes for justice vacancy, refuses audit questioning
In short
Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae apologized at a National Assembly audit for the prolonged vacancy in Supreme Court justice posts, saying he recognises responsibility for public inconvenience. He refused to answer lawmakers' questions or take the witness oath, and said the Blue House's request to nominate different justices did not clearly state constitutional grounds.
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Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae appeared at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the Supreme Court in Seoul on 6 October and apologised for the prolonged vacancy in Supreme Court justice posts. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Cho said he was sorry for causing inconvenience to the public and that he recognises responsibility for it. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Cho said he could not respond to lawmakers' questions because he had been adopted as a general witness rather than as the head of the institution, and he refused to take the witness oath, Kyunghyang reported. He said requiring him to testify about his nomination of justices could undermine the separation of powers and judicial independence, and said the court administration minister, delegated by him, would answer other questions. [ 3 ]
On the Blue House's request to nominate a different justice, Cho said the official document did not clearly set out reasons or a constitutional basis and that its intent was hard to understand, Yonhap's Newsis report and Kyunghyang said. Cho said he had reviewed the qualities and abilities of candidates recommended by the justice candidate recommendation committee and continued consultations on follow-up procedures, but made the nomination without reaching a final agreement. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kyunghyang reported that Cho was also adopted as a general witness at last year's audit, in connection with the ruling that remanded the election law case of President Lee Jae-myung. At that hearing he read only the opening remarks customary for an institutional head and did not answer Democratic Party lawmakers' questions, and remained seated for more than an hour because committee chair Choo Mi-ae did not grant him leave to go. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The hearing puts a public standoff between the Supreme Court and the presidential office over judicial appointments on the record, with the chief justice framing the dispute as a question of separation of powers and judicial independence. The vacancy in the top court remains unresolved, and Cho offered no timetable for filling it.
Key facts
- Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae attended the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit of the Supreme Court on 6 October and apologised for the prolonged vacancy in Supreme Court justice posts. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Cho said he recognises responsibility for the inconvenience caused to the public by the vacancy. [ 3 ]
- Cho said he could not answer questioning because he was adopted as a general witness rather than as head of the institution. [ 3 ]
- Cho refused to take the witness oath at the hearing. [ 3 ]
- Cho said the request from the Blue House to nominate a different justice did not clearly state constitutional grounds or reasons. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Cho said he had reviewed candidates recommended by the justice candidate recommendation committee and continued consultations but did not reach final agreement before making the nomination. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- How many Supreme Court justice posts are vacant and which posts they are. The documents refer only to a prolonged vacancy and do not specify the number or the seats.
- The exact wording and content of the Blue House official document. Cho described it in general terms; the document itself is not quoted or published in the documents.
- Whether and when the vacancy will be filled. Cho said he would make the necessary efforts but gave no timetable; no other document provides one.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports in a breaking-news item that Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae apologised for causing public concern over the prolonged vacancy in Supreme Court justice posts. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports Cho's apology and that the request to re-nominate justices had no constitutional basis. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports Cho's remarks at the audit, including his refusal to answer lawmakers' questions. [ 3 ]