Nat'l Assembly to kick off annual audit of gov't agencies

The National Assembly commenced its annual audit of government agencies on Tuesday, with conflicting views anticipated among rival parties. The controversy centers on Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's refusal to recommend a new justice nominee to the president, as requested by the presidential office. This decision is based on a lack of constitutional grounds, as per the Constitution, which stipulates that Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the chief justice and with the consent of the judiciary.

From October 1 to 27, eight of the Assembly's 17 standing committees will convene to scrutinize government agencies' performance. The legislative and judiciary committees are particularly expected to witness heated debates over the Supreme Court chief's stance on the nominee nomination. Earlier this month, President Lee Jae Myung expressed dissatisfaction with Cho's written recommendation of two Supreme Court justice nominees, prompting the request for a new candidate.