Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae says it is difficult to newly recommend a Supreme Court justice after a request from the presidential office, citing a lack of specific constitutional and procedural grounds. He makes the remarks during a parliamentary audit of the top court on Tuesday.
Cho says Cheong Wa Dae’s request does not explicitly outline the specific reasons and constitutional basis for the new recommendation, which he says prevents follow-up procedures. He also reiterates his refusal from last month to recommend a candidate as requested by Cheong Wa Dae. Cho says he feels apologetic to the public over the prolonged vacancy and says he will continue efforts to address the issue.
The Korea Times reports that Cheong Wa Dae asked Cho in August to recommend a new justice for President Lee Jae Myung, after raising concerns about the completeness of Cho’s prior actions. Cho’s position, as described by both Yonhap and the Korea Times, is that he needs specific reasons and constitutional grounds before he can proceed with another recommendation.
