법사위, ‘서명제청’ 조희대 대법원장 증인 채택…31일 현안 질의

Liberals and conservatives have been locked in a heated debate over Supreme Court Chief Justice Yanghee Lee's planned retirement, with both the Democratic Party and the Progressive Party criticizing the move. The Democratic Party demanded Lee's immediate resignation, while the Progressive Party praised her for standing up to the government and the ruling party.

Democratic Party chief advocate Park Soon-je vowed at a parliamentary briefing that Lee should step down as she has the qualifications for impeachment, and that her retirement was the only way to restore judicial integrity and face the nation's grievances. Lee, meanwhile, warned that she had already become a "political player" and urged the judiciary to step down in response to the government's actions.

The controversy began when Lee recommended the dismissal of former law school colleagues Song Bang-gi, a district court judge in Goyang, and Kim Seong-su, a Seoul Western District Court judge, without prior consultation with the executive branch. The Progressive Party accused the government of violating the principles of the separation of powers and claimed that any decision by the judiciary to appoint new judges on the president's request would undermine the independence of the judiciary and amount to a "dictatorship."

On the day of the hearing, Progressive Party representative Jo Dong-hyuk posted on Facebook that the Constitution clearly states that only the appointment and approval of Supreme Court justices by the legislature are allowed, and that any interference by the president goes against the very essence of democracy. Jo also warned that allowing the government to dictate the appointment of Supreme Court justices would be a "constitutional coup."

The debate intensified when the Supreme Court agreed to allow Lee to testify as a witness, and both parties issued conflicting statements. Democratic Party deputy chief advocate Lee Je-hyun called for an end to the "preliminary impeachment inquiry" and demanded that Lee provide the truth, adding that if she continued to change her story, the legislature would hold her accountable under the law and procedural rules.

In response, Progressive Party chief advocate Park Soon-hoon challenged the Democratic Party to stop its "pre-emptive impeachment hearings," accusing them of attempting to discredit Lee through a series of dishonest statements. Some lawmakers in the Democratic Party expect the internal conflict over Lee's appointment to serve as a catalyst for the long-awaited debate on judicial reform.

Another lawmaker noted that the situation could potentially lead to a unified opposition. Meanwhile, the Progressive Party is also discussing the possibility of abolishing the Supreme Court's judicial administrative authority and dismantling the Supreme Court's office, as part of their broader judicial reform agenda.