Recurring Issues in Supreme Court Chief Justice Confirmation Hearings: 'Assets and Factional Appointments'... What About Candidate Lee Gyun-yong?

Opposition Likely to Target Personnel Hearings with 'Code Personnel' Issues
Also Expected to Attack Court Colleagues' 'Below Average Ratings'

At the National Assembly confirmation hearing for Lee Gyun-yong, the nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (age 60, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 16), the main focus is expected to be on Lee's assets, which are the largest ever reported among Chief Justice nominees, as well as on issues related to political alignment appointments. The confirmation hearing for Lee will be held over two days, on the 19th and 20th.

Nominee for Chief Justice Lee Gyun-yong is arriving at the confirmation hearing preparation office located in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 29th of last month. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

On the 11th, inside and outside the judiciary, it was noted that while a detailed explanation will be required regarding Lee's assets, the issue of political alignment appointments is not expected to be a major problem since all previous Chief Justice nominees were inevitably linked to the then-government. Although opposition lawmakers are expected to focus their questioning on controversies surrounding Lee's past rulings and alleged lack of 'gender sensitivity,' it is unlikely to be considered a serious disqualification in terms of judicial independence.

However, the fact that Lee never exceeded the average score even once in the 'multi-faceted evaluation of court presidents and above,' where court members assess the suitability of court presidents as managers, is expected to become a point of contention during the hearing.

‘Political Alignment Appointments’ Controversy, a Recurring Issue in Chief Justice Confirmation Hearings

The controversy over political alignment appointments for Chief Justice nominees has been a recurring issue in past confirmation hearings. Lee Yong-hoon, the former Chief Justice appointed during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, opened a law practice after completing his term as a Supreme Court justice and later served as Roh's defense attorney during the former president's impeachment. After the Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment, Roh nominated Lee Yong-hoon, who was then appointed as the 14th Chief Justice.

Yang Seung-tae, appointed during the Lee Myung-bak administration, faced criticism from the opposition for his clear conservative stance revealed through rulings, which aligned with the then-government's political code. Kim Myung-soo, appointed under the Moon Jae-in administration, unlike previous nominees, had no prior experience as a Supreme Court justice and was a member of Uri Law Research Association, a group of progressive judges, and served as the inaugural president of the International Human Rights Law Research Association, a successor organization, making him a representative progressive figure within the judiciary. This led to controversy over political alignment appointments.

Lee Gyun-yong has also been embroiled in controversy over political alignment appointments due to his close friendship with President Yoon Suk-yeol, with whom he attended university one year apart, and his strong conservative leanings. In response, Lee stated, "Since I am a friend of a close friend, such stories seem to have come out, but it is difficult to see it as a direct relationship," drawing a clear line.

Largest Assets Among Chief Justice Nominees... Opposition Expected to Launch Intense Attack

Lee Gyunyong, the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, arrived at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 23rd of last month to meet with Chief Justice Kim Myungsoo and is giving an interview.

The assets of Chief Justice nominees have also been a recurring subject of scrutiny during the verification process. Lee Yong-hoon reported assets worth about 3.5 billion KRW at the time of his nomination. When he retired as a Supreme Court justice in 2000, he declared assets of 1.135 billion KRW, which increased by approximately 2.4 billion KRW five years later when he was nominated as Chief Justice. Lee explained that his assets grew through attorney fees and interest income after retiring as a justice.

Yang Seung-tae declared assets worth about 3.29 billion KRW. At that time, the opposition raised suspicions of under-the-table contracts and false address registrations. Yang explained that these were related to land transactions involving his late ex-wife.

Kim Myung-soo reported assets of about 820 million KRW during his candidacy. Although allegations were raised during the hearing about under-the-table contracts and receiving a 1 million KRW travel voucher from a travel agency in 2015 without reporting it, Kim's assets were among the lowest for high-ranking judges, so it did not become a major issue.

In contrast, Lee Gyun-yong reported total assets of approximately 7.23 billion KRW for himself, his spouse, and two children, making him the wealthiest among all Chief Justice nominees. The assets Lee declared include an apartment in Yongsan-gu, Seoul; a commercial building in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu owned by his wife; land and deposits in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Busan. Shortly after his nomination, controversy arose when it was revealed that he had failed to report unlisted shares of a family company from the past. Lee apologized, saying, "I was not aware that the enforcement decree had changed."

Likely to Erase the Progressive Color of the ‘Kim Myung-soo Court’

During this hearing, opposition lawmakers are expected to focus their questioning on whether Lee will completely revise the judicial policies promoted by the progressive-leaning ‘Kim Myung-soo Supreme Court.’ If Lee passes the National Assembly hearing and is appointed Chief Justice, it is anticipated that he will launch a strong reform drive starting with the appointments of successors to Justices Ahn Cheol-sang and Min Yoo-sook, who will retire on January 1 next year.

At his own confirmation hearing, Chief Justice Kim stated, "The judiciary should prioritize appropriate and thorough trials over efficient and speedy ones, and rather than emphasizing quantitative case processing, it should pursue a judiciary that the public can accept and be moved by through sincere trials," signaling his intention to change the rapid trial orientation of his predecessor, Yang Seung-tae.

After his nomination, Lee told reporters before visiting Chief Justice Kim, "I will continuously reflect on what an ideal court that meets the public's expectations and demands, serving freedom and rights, and restoring the recently collapsed trust in the judiciary and the authority of trials, should be." This is interpreted as meaning that he may revise the overall system changes made under Chief Justice Kim's administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.