New DP chief urges ‘worst chief justice’ to step down over letter recommending nominees for top court

Kim Min-seok, the previous prime minister and newly elected chief of the ruling Democratic Party, urged Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de to step down on Wednesday, taking issue with his recommendation to the president on justice nominees that broke with tradition.

"I believe it is right for Jo, the worst chief justice since the nation's liberation, to step down," Kim said at a party leadership meeting in Busan in response to Jo's letter the previous day. "How can a person in the position of chief justice commit such judicial misconduct with such a bare face and without any shame?"

On Tuesday, Jo recommended Son Bong-kie of the Daegu District Court and Kim Sung-soo of the Seoul High Court to be appointed by the president.

Usually, the chief justice visits the president to make a face-to-face recommendation for a new Supreme Court justice after prior coordination. Jo is said to have instead notified the Blue House of his recommended nominees in writing.

Kim said, "The public has endured and given Jo the opportunity for an honorable retirement, but he has brought about a dishonorable retirement himself, just like [former Prime Minister] Han Duck-soo. Why is Jo trying to walk the path of an accomplice to insurrection like Han?"

"Jo's behavior is like that of a delinquent student who breaks a window and then begs to be expelled and allowed to stop studying," Kim said.

Kim said Jo violated the law through irregular means as soon as calls for his impeachment emerged recently, noting the chief justice has historically and customarily recommended new Supreme Court justices after consulting with the president.

He then urged Supreme Court justices to issue a statement saying that Jo was wrong, expressing confidence that the public would respond with tremendous anger.

Yonhap