[사설] ‘서면 제청’ 한 대법원장, ‘후보 사퇴 종용’은 또 무슨 말인가

The Supreme Court President, 조희대, recently criticized the handling of Supreme Court judge selections, stating that the president's preference for a certain candidate over the chosen one constituted a disregard for constitutional spirit and a unilateral move. This situation arose after the Judicial Panel for Supreme Court Judge Selections recommended four candidates for 후보 사퇴, but the president and the Supreme Court were in opposition for six months on the matter, leading to President 이재명 and the Supreme Court President attempting to resolve the issue.

The Supreme Court President, 조희대, did not seek the president's approval or report to anyone else, but critics argue that she bypassed the legal procedures and directly recommended candidates through a written decision. This move is deemed highly problematic as it excludes the president's preferred candidate and forces the Supreme Court President to finalize and disregard the recommendation results.

Moreover, the Supreme Court's actions question the rule of law and undermine judicial independence. The Supreme Court President must clarify the steps taken in the current process and apologize for her actions. Furthermore, she must rescind the unconstitutional decision and uphold the constitutional spirit of Supreme Court judge selection.