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Supreme Court silent, judges alarmed as DP calls for chief justice's head

Published: 16 Sep. 2025, 07:00

Chief Justice Jo Hee-de answers questions from reporters as he arrives at the Supreme Court in Seocho District, Seoul, on Sept. 12 for a meeting. [YONHAP]

Korea’s judiciary has stayed silent as the ruling Democratic Party (DP) escalates calls for Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de to resign — a demand that has alarmed judges and reignited debate over judicial independence.

The calls began Sunday, when DP Rep. Choo Mi-ae, chair of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, posted on Facebook, accusing Jo of blocking judicial independence and slowing the high-profile trial against former President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges.

On Monday, the presidential office said it had no official position but added that it “sympathized in principle” with the need to reflect on the legitimacy and reasons behind public calls for Jo to step down. When those comments were interpreted as support for Jo’s resignation, the office issued a second briefing clarifying that it meant only to stress the need for “reflection on the plausibility and reasons [for the demand].”

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks at a press conference at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Sept. 15. [YONHAP]

DP leader Jung Chung-rae and other lawmakers soon joined in pressing for Jo’s resignation.

The liberal DP has called for Jo’s resignation after the Supreme Court overturned then-presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung’s acquittal in May, a move the party denounced as politically motivated ahead of the June election.

'Feels abrupt'

The Supreme Court has yet to issue a statement. A spokesperson for the National Court Administration said only that it had “no particular comment.”

Judges in lower courts, however, expressed unease.

“What does the chief justice’s resignation have to do with the insurrection trial? If you are going to discuss the judiciary’s top leader stepping down, there must be a reason. Nothing has changed overnight, so this feels abrupt,” said a senior judge at a court in the greater Seoul area.

The judge noted that the chief justice cannot intervene in trial decisions, referring to Seoul Central District Court’s decision last March to revoke former President Yoon’s detention.

"If a judge’s ruling must be overturned simply because it displeases politicians, judicial independence will collapse,” the judge said.

Flags fly in front of the Supreme Court building in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on June 5. [YONHAP]

A high court judge also called the demands "puzzling."

“The resignation calls are coming without any special trigger,” the judge said. “Perhaps last Thursday’s nationwide court presidents’ meeting was the reason, but that meeting took place as part of the court’s institutional duties, not to make a political statement.”

The judge added that the pressure might be "aimed at forcing the judiciary to move faster on bills before the National Assembly, including proposals to expand the number of Supreme Court justices or create a special bench for insurrection cases."

Despite the political storm, there appears to be a consensus within the judiciary that Jo should stay in office.

“For the sake of judicial independence, the chief justice must withstand this pressure,” said another high court judge. The judge added that the courts must "acknowledge public demand for reform by strengthening trial-centered proceedings and fact-finding to rebuild public trust."

Rival parties clash

Rep. Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Sept. 15. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Some observers argue that the latest calls were inevitable. After the Supreme Court’s full bench ruling in May sent President Lee’s case back to a lower court for a guilty verdict, the DP introduced a “Jo Hee-de Special Prosecutor Act,” and several of its leaders demanded Jo’s resignation or impeachment.

The main opposition condemned the renewed pressure. Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), said it was because “the ruling party fears the resumption of President Lee’s five trials.”

Former party leader Han Dong-hoon warned that “if the president is trying to remove the chief justice to block his own criminal trials, that is a grave constitutional violation and grounds for impeachment.”

Lawmaker Na Kyung-won called it “an overreach unprecedented in constitutional history” for the judiciary committee chair to pressure the chief justice to resign.

Special counsel requests more hearings

Legal experts are divided over whether the pace and fairness of Yoon's insurrection trial justify the political uproar.

“Even the special counsel leading the case has not raised objections about the process, so it is strange for the National Assembly to intervene like this,” said one legal insider.

At a hearing on Monday, the special counsel requested that the Seoul Central District Court merge the case with that of National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho and hold hearings four times a week. The court had said on Sept. 5 that it expected to conclude hearings by December.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI SEO-IN [[email protected]]