'Insurrectionary refusal to re-recommend candidates an act of sabotage against the people'

'Will respond comprehensively through parliamentary investigation, special prosecutor and more'

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok speaks at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly on Wednesday. [Yonhap]
Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok speaks at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly on Wednesday. [Yonhap]

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok on Wednesday sharply criticized Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae for refusing Cheong Wa Dae's request to re-recommend Supreme Court justice candidates, calling it "an unprecedented, unconstitutional and unlawful insurrectionary refusal" and "an act of sabotage that fundamentally disrespects the people."

Speaking at a supreme council meeting that day, Kim said the party would "use every power available to the National Assembly to investigate, summon, reprimand, hold legally accountable and correct" the chief justice's conduct. He also said the standoff would serve as "a trigger for judicial reform," adding that the upheaval "born of ignorance and delusion about the spirit of the times" would become the spark for change.

Chief Justice Jo said Tuesday that he could not comply with the re-recommendation request because the document sent from Cheong Wa Dae lacked specific grounds or a constitutional basis for the demand.

Within and around the Democratic Party, calls for Jo's impeachment — which had largely receded from public debate — appear to be resurfacing. Asked about the possibility of impeaching the chief justice during an appearance on the party's YouTube channel "Minti07" that day, Kim said he would "proceed step by step" through "the very important process of helping the public understand, explaining the situation and persuading them."

Kim also raised possible responses including a constitutional competence dispute, a parliamentary investigation and a special prosecutor. He questioned whether Jo's refusal fell within the appropriate scope of his authority, and cited what he described as a pattern of legal violations — including the chief justice's failure to appear before the National Assembly when summoned and questions surrounding his use of official expense funds.

"This amounts to a breach of fiduciary duty, and there is already case law on the matter — he is causing constitutional damage while his moral fitness is already in question," Kim said. "There can be various forms of questioning in the National Assembly, there can be a parliamentary investigation, there can be a special prosecutor — there are many procedures, methods and processes, and we will respond comprehensively and from multiple angles."

Even as the party moves toward direct confrontation with the chief justice, a note of caution is detectable in some quarters. The party had previously calibrated its pressure by calling for his resignation rather than pursuing impeachment proceedings, wary of a public backlash. At the same time, some observers note that Jo's defiance over judicial reform demands could energize the party's base.

Jin Joong-kwon, a professor at Dongguk University, said on social media that day that the situation reflected "the Democratic Party's characteristic strategy of rallying its base," adding: "The Democratic Party has invented a new enemy, appointing the judiciary as the new villain in place of prosecutors. The childish scenario casts Jo Hee-dae as the arch-demon of that villainous group."


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