Chief justice says difficult to newly recommend Supreme Court justice due to lack of grounds

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae has stated that it is challenging to recommend a new Supreme Court justice due to the lack of concrete grounds to do so. This difficulty arose after the presidential office's request for a new recommendation, which did not clearly outline the specific reasons and constitutional grounds required.

Cho's refusal to recommend a new candidate last month, following the presidential office's request citing procedural incompleteness, further compounded the issue. Cho expressed regret over the prolonged vacancy and pledged efforts to resolve the matter. The presidential office had requested Cho to recommend a new candidate in August, alleging a lack of procedural completeness.

As per the Constitution, Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chief justice and with the consent of the National Assembly. Cho declined to take an oath as a witness during the parliamentary audit, adhering to the principle of separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

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