Seoul:According to Yonhap News Agency, Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae dismissed the presidential office's assertion that there was a procedural flaw in the nomination of a Supreme Court justice. This statement came a day after he declined a request from the presidential office to suggest a new candidate.

The controversy began last month when the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, asked Chief Justice Cho to recommend another candidate. This request followed their objection to Cho's written recommendation of one of the two nominees for the Supreme Court to President Lee Jae Myung.

Chief Justice Cho, in a statement on Tuesday, explained that he could not fulfill the request due to the absence of specific reasons or constitutional grounds. He further elaborated on his position on Wednesday, after his earlier comments led to various interpretations.

Chief Justice Cho emphasized that "clear grounds and reasoning must be presented in the text of the official document" to ensure there is no dispute about its validity and to ensure compliance with the Constitution and the law. He expressed skepticism about the claim of a procedural flaw in the nomination process, stating that it is difficult to accept such a claim when considering constitutional and legal regulations.

In response to the situation, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung stated that the request for a new recommendation was made because the original lacked "procedural completeness."

Chief Justice Cho also issued an apology for the prolonged vacancy in the Supreme Court and committed to resolving the issue promptly.