Kim Minseok Holds First Supreme Council Meeting in Busan... Urges Choi Hee-dae's Resignation Amid 'Unity Tour' to Bongha and Pyeongsan

Kim: “Choi, the Worst Chief Justice Since Liberation”

Kim Minseok, the newly elected leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, strongly criticized Chief Justice Choi Hee-dae and demanded his resignation while visiting Busan and Gyeongnam as his first regional tour after taking office on the 19th. With Kim directly targeting the judiciary from his very first on-site Supreme Council meeting, there are interpretations within political circles that the party will accelerate its drive for "settlement and reform," a policy line that has continued since the 12·12 military coup events.

Chief Justice Hoidae Cho is arriving at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on March 3rd of this year. Photo by Yonhap News

At the on-site Supreme Council meeting held on the 19th at the Busan Metropolitan Party office in Dong-gu, Busan, Kim compared Chief Justice Choi's recommendation of Supreme Court justice candidates the previous day to "a delinquent student who, after breaking a window, begs to be expelled, saying he does not want to study anymore," adding, "I believe he should step down."

Kim harshly criticized Chief Justice Choi for recommending Supreme Court justice candidates to President Lee Jae-myung without prior coordination with the presidential office, stating, "What was the intention behind bypassing established legal procedures to recommend justices this time? Are you asking to be dismissed?" He went further, calling on the judiciary to "immediately convene a judges' meeting" and requested, "Hold a judges' meeting and pass a resolution telling Choi Hee-dae to leave."

Kim also announced changes to the way the party will be run. Regarding the Supreme Council meetings, he said, "The actual Supreme Council where various important issues are decided has mostly been held privately, but if necessary, we will make it public as a principle." He added, "If confidential matters are disclosed, regardless of rank or position, those responsible will be expelled from the meeting."

Meanwhile, Kim began his day by visiting Busan City Hall for a meeting with Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo, and then held his first on-site Supreme Council meeting at the Busan Metropolitan Party office in Dong-gu, Busan. Afterward, he traveled to Bongha Village in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, to pay his respects at the tomb of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, and continued on to Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan to meet with former President Moon Jae-in.

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