Legislation and Judiciary Committee Approves On-Site Inspection of Supreme Court on October 15 Led by Democratic Party

Opposition: "Political Retaliation Based on Fake YouTube News"
Ruling Party: "It Was Cho Heedae Who Undermined Judicial Independence"

The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, led by the Democratic Party of Korea, decided on the 30th to conduct an on-site parliamentary inspection of the Supreme Court on October 15.

On this day, the committee held a plenary session in the afternoon and passed an amendment to the 2025 parliamentary inspection plan to add an on-site inspection of the Supreme Court on October 15, with 10 votes in favor and 6 against out of 16 members present.

After passing the agenda, Committee Chair Chu Mi-ae submitted a written motion to add the adoption of the on-site inspection plan to the schedule for review. The purpose of the on-site inspection is to verify the calculation basis for the budget required for increasing the number of Supreme Court justices, and to confirm whether the remand trial process involving President Lee Jaemyung during his presidential candidacy was legitimate.

The People Power Party boycotted the vote, claiming it was political retaliation for Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's absence from the committee's hearing on alleged presidential election interference earlier that day.

Assemblywoman Na Kyungwon argued, "Holding an additional Supreme Court hearing just because the Chief Justice did not attend, based on fake YouTube news, is political retaliation," adding that it amounts to "slaughtering judges and prosecutors."

Assemblyman Joo Jinwoo also raised his voice, saying, "There are two reasons why the Democratic Party is threatening impeachment, forcing resignation, and summoning the Chief Justice to a hearing: first, they are retaliating because President Lee Jaemyung was found guilty, and second, they are shaking the judiciary to eliminate Lee Jaemyung's trial."

On the 30th, Chu Mi-ae, the chairperson of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, is striking the gavel during the plenary session. 2025.9.30 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On the other hand, the Democratic Party countered that a proper on-site inspection was necessary because Chief Justice Cho did not attend. Assemblyman Park Jiweon argued, "With Chief Justice Cho absent, today's hearing has become a 'fish-shaped bun hearing,'" adding, "Because today's session was not properly conducted, there is a need for an on-site inspection."

Assemblywoman Seo Youngkyo, who raised suspicions about a four-person meeting related to the presidential election interference allegations, insisted on the need for an on-site inspection, claiming that the Supreme Court had sent a "fake schedule."

Assemblyman Kim Gipyo also criticized, "It is the Chief Justice who has directly undermined the independence of the judiciary by intervening in the center of politics," adding, "If it is too troublesome for Chief Justice Cho to appear before the public, we will go to him and pay our respects. We also plan to check the access logs."

The Democratic Party maintains that it is impossible for the 10 Supreme Court justices involved in President Lee's case to have read all 60,000 pages of investigative records in two days, and insists that the electronic document access logs must be checked.

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