Seoul: The minor Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP) has released a draft motion seeking the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, alleging his involvement in election interference. The announcement was made on Friday at the National Assembly by Cho Kuk, leader of the party's emergency leadership committee, who emphasized that the impeachment is crucial for restoring public trust in the judiciary.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the RKP's draft motion accuses Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae of allegedly interfering in the June 3 presidential election. This accusation follows the Supreme Court's decision to overturn a not-guilty verdict in President Lee Jae Myung's election law violation case, subsequently sending it back to a lower court just before the election. The motion claims that such actions compromised the right to a fair trial and breached the duty of political neutrality.
The ruling Democratic Party, despite its series of legislative reforms and criticisms of the chief justice, has chosen to distance itself from the RKP's impeachment efforts. The party clarified that it is not considering an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho at this time.
For an impeachment motion to be introduced, it must have the backing of at least one-third of the National Assembly members and pass with a majority vote. With only 12 seats, the RKP cannot propose the motion independently.