Seoul: The government and ruling Democratic Party are intensifying their pressure on the judiciary, with recent actions including calls for the resignation of Chief Justice Jo Hee-de. This move comes after the party's push to increase the number of Supreme Court justices, escalating tensions within the political landscape.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during a leadership meeting on September 15, Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae demanded that Chief Justice Jo apologize and resign. He questioned, "Is the chief justice above the president, beyond the reach of the people's impeachment?" This demand followed accusations by Choo Mi-ae, chair of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, that Jo was undermining the speed and fairness of trials related to insurrection.
The controversy quickly reached the presidential office, where spokesperson Kang Yu-jung initially stated that the office "generally agreed" with the criticism. However, after facing backlash, she clarified that her remarks were misinterpreted and that the office held "no specific position." This incident highlights the tension between maintaining judicial independence and the ruling bloc's efforts to remove the judiciary's head, despite the chief justice's constitutionally guaranteed term.
The Democratic Party's focus on Chief Justice Jo is not new. In May, following the Supreme Court's decision favoring the conviction of President Lee Jae Myung for election law violations, some lawmakers demanded Jo's resignation and threatened impeachment and a special tribunal. Although they retreated before the June 3 presidential election, the demands resurfaced three months later.
The latest call for resignation emerged after a September 12 meeting of court presidents, where judges emphasized the importance of judicial involvement in reform discussions. The ruling bloc, however, targeted Jo instead of embracing this perspective, suggesting underlying political motives.
The Democratic Party is also advancing its plans for a "dedicated tribunal" on insurrection to avoid constitutional challenges. On September 15, Representative Jeon Hyun-heui proposed an "urgent tribunal on state corruption." With the legislature and executive already under the party's control, such moves to reshape the judiciary to their preference could undermine democratic foundations.
The People Power Party has strongly opposed these actions. Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk accused the presidential office of attempting to remove Jo to overturn Lee's conviction, while former leader Han Dong-hoon warned that ousting the chief justice would be a severe constitutional breach and grounds for impeachment.
Judicial reform measures, such as adding justices and creating dedicated tribunals, require thorough discussion among ruling and opposition parties, along with the judiciary. The ruling bloc's strategy of pressuring the chief justice without dialogue or negotiation poses a threat to the principle of separation of powers, intended to prevent state authority abuse.