Seoul: The parliamentary judiciary committee has moved to hold a significant hearing concerning Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae over allegations of election interference tied to President Lee Jae Myung's election law violation case. The decision was reached on Monday during a plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which is currently led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP). This decision occurred amidst a boycott by members of the main opposition, the People Power Party.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the proposal entails that the hearing will involve not only Chief Justice Cho but also former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other Supreme Court judges, with proceedings scheduled for September 30. The allegations against Cho stem from the Supreme Court's decision under his leadership to overturn a not-guilty verdict in Lee's election law violation case, which was subsequently sent back to a lower court for retrial just before the June 3 presidential election. The timing and speed of the ruling have raised suspicions.
DP lawmakers have further claimed that Chief Justice Cho had a meeting with Han before the ruling, during which he allegedly assured that he would "take care" of Lee's case upon its arrival at the Supreme Court. This alleged meeting and statement have fueled the controversy surrounding the case.