(LEAD) DP leader urges Supreme Court chief to resign over written recommendation of new justices

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, now the chief of the ruling Democratic Party, called on Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to resign on Wednesday, criticizing his written recommendation for new Supreme Court justices. Kim called Cho the "worst chief justice since the nation's liberation" and questioned how a person in his position could commit such judicial misconduct without shame.

Cho had recommended Son Bong-kie and Kim Sung-soo for appointment to the Supreme Court, a process typically involving a face-to-face meeting with the president. Kim accused Cho of bringing about an "unhonorable retirement" and likened his actions to those of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Kim urged fellow Supreme Court justices to condemn Cho's behavior and expressed confidence that the public would respond with anger.

The parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee approved a request for Cho to appear before the panel, while the People Power Party voted against it.