Apology for Judicial Manipulation Allegations: "Sorry for Causing Concern to the People"
"Protecting Judicial Independence... Will Do Our Best to Achieve Fair Trials"
Cho Hee-dae, the nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, stated, "I will do my best to protect the independence of the judiciary and achieve fair trials."
Cho Hee-dae, nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, is delivering an opening statement at the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
In his opening remarks at the parliamentary confirmation hearing held on the 5th, Cho said, "The Chief Justice bears the significant responsibility of establishing a foundation where judges can independently adjudicate according to the law and conscience without undue influence," adding, "We must resolve the issue of trial delays to ensure the swift resolution of disputes."
He continued, "Since the causes of trial delays are not confined to a single source, I will carefully and comprehensively analyze the intertwined issues to untangle them," and added, "I will consider a wide range of measures, from immediately implementable solutions such as prompt scheduling and proper formatting of judgments to fundamental reforms like the composition of judicial personnel and improvements to the trial system."
At the hearing, Cho apologized for the judicial scandal that occurred during the tenure of former Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae. Cho served as a Supreme Court Justice alongside Yang for about three and a half years. In response to Justice Party lawmaker Kang Eun-mi's question, "As a nominee for Chief Justice, do you intend to apologize to the public for the judicial scandal?" Cho replied, "I sincerely apologize to the public for causing concern due to such an incident."
Cho also pledged to recommend the appointment of Supreme Court Justices in a way that ensures diversity within the court. When asked by Hong Jeong-min of the Democratic Party of Korea about the criteria for recommending appointments, Cho responded, "I believe we should widely seek talented individuals who are reputable, possess strong legal expertise, and can contribute to securing diversity within the judiciary."
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