Is protecting the president from prosecution the top priority?

The Democratic Party (DP) has formally announced plans to pursue a parliamentary investigation into Chief Justice Jo Hee-de and special counsel legislation targeting allegedly fabricated indictments.

Park Sung-joon, the DP's chief spokesperson, said Monday that investigating Jo and passing the special counsel bill would be major priorities after the National Assembly's annual audit. Party floor leaders have reportedly reviewed the necessary procedures.

The move appears intended to revive calls for Jo's impeachment following Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's acquittal on appeal in a political funding case involving allegations that another person paid for opinion polls conducted by political broker Myung Tae-kyun.

The party also appears determined to push legislation investigating allegedly fabricated prosecutions, including cases involving President Lee Jae Myung.

It is deeply troubling that the ruling party invokes a "judicial cartel" and threatens to remove the chief justice whenever court rulings disappoint it. Using its legislative majority to intimidate the judiciary's leader seriously undermines constitutional separation of powers and judicial independence.

The DP also appears ready to force through the special counsel bill under the banner of judicial and prosecutorial reform.

Reps. Park Kyoon-taek and Yang Bu-nam, both associated with a parliamentary group seeking dismissal of charges against the president, are reportedly leading candidates for justice minister, a position vacant for two months.

Both have prominently defended Lee against legal allegations, including those arising from the Daejang-dong development scandal. Considering such figures to lead the Justice Ministry inevitably raises questions about investigative fairness and political neutrality.

Although some opinion polls suggest a modest rebound, the president's approval rating remains low. The DP's support has reportedly declined below that of the opposition People Power Party.

Meanwhile, the administration has failed to address housing policies, cited as the leading reason for negative evaluations of its performance. Renters without homes face mounting difficulties amid soaring jeonse and monthly rental costs.

Small business owners and the self-employed are also struggling under persistently high prices and interest rates.

Citizens facing these pressures want practical measures to improve their livelihoods and a change in misguided policy priorities.

Instead, the ruling camp appears increasingly focused on impeaching the chief justice and securing dismissal of criminal charges against the president, effectively making protection from legal accountability its overriding priority.

Such political maneuvering risks further eroding public confidence in the government and the institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law.

If the administration continues prioritizing the president's legal troubles over citizens' everyday hardships, public disillusionment will only deepen.