Jung Jeongsik: "President's Refusal of Supreme Court Justice Nomination Is Grounds for Impeachment... President Lee's Trial Must Resume"

Jeong Jeongsik, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated on August 31, "If the president refuses the (Supreme Court Chief Justice's recommended) nomination of a Supreme Court justice, that itself constitutes grounds for impeachment." He added, "Only by having the judiciary swiftly resume and conclude the trial regarding President Lee Jaemyung can we prevent the judiciary from being taken over."

Jeong Jeongsik, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the party policy meeting held at the National Assembly on August 25, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

At the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, floor leader Jeong said, "The Blue House's demand for a resubmission of the Supreme Court justice nomination effectively nullifies the Chief Justice's constitutional authority to recommend nominees. In the end, it means the president is choosing Supreme Court justices at will."

He further commented, "When the Chief Justice makes a recommendation, the president sending it to the National Assembly is not optional—it's a constitutional obligation." He added, "President Lee and the Democratic Party's demand for resubmission is, in itself, unconstitutional and, at the same time, a direct destruction of the separation of powers."

He went on to say, "The Democratic Party is threatening that if Chief Justice Cho Heedae does not attend the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee for questioning, they will take the next step. Is that step impeachment?" He declared, "If you want to try it, go ahead. All the political and legal responsibility will fall on the Democratic Party."

Floor leader Jeong also addressed Chief Justice Cho directly, saying, "President Lee's violation of the Public Official Election Act is a case the Supreme Court has already remanded with a guilty finding in mind, and only the follow-up procedures remain." He concluded, "The judiciary must resume the president's trial."

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