Seoul: President Lee Jae-myung has officially withdrawn the nominations of two Constitutional Court justices, a decision originally made by the former acting leader of the preceding Yoon Suk Yeol administration, as confirmed by his office on Thursday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the controversial nominations in question were made in April by then acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Han nominated Lee Wan-kyu, minister of government legislation, and Ham Sang-hun, a justice of the Seoul High Court, to succeed two retiring justices. This move was met with criticism from opposition parties and legal experts, who viewed it as an overreach of authority during a period of leadership instability caused by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law.

The backlash intensified as Han proceeded with the nominations after returning to his role as acting president. This occurred following a Constitutional Court ruling that overturned his impeachment by the opposition-controlled National Assembly. In April, the top court approved an injunction suspending the nominations; however, it did not clarify whether an acting leader possesses the authority to nominate and appoint Constitutional Court judges.