Warning Against the Democratic Party's Proposal to Amend Supreme Court Appointments
"New Party Name: Basic Social Party or Basic Communist Party"
Jinwoo Joo, Chairman of the Legal Advisory Committee of the People Power Party, commented on the Democratic Party’s proposal to amend the Court Organization Act to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from the current 14 to 30, stating, "This reveals Lee Jae Myung's dictatorial mindset."
On May 3, Representative Joo wrote on social media, "The Democratic Party says they will increase the number of Supreme Court justices to 30," and argued, "If Lee Jae Myung becomes president, he will appoint 16 new justices, effectively placing the judiciary under his control."
Jinwoo Joo, Chairman of the Legal Advisory Committee of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News
He continued, "The Democratic Party has also introduced a bill that would allow final Supreme Court rulings to be reviewed again by the Constitutional Court," criticizing it as "the world’s first four-tiered judicial system." He added, "Because of Lee Jae Myung alone, the public will spend their whole lives in court proceedings."
Representative Joo stated, "The six-year term for Supreme Court justices is stipulated in the Constitution to ensure separation and checks between the legislative and executive branches," and argued, "If the Democratic Party controls the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, and if the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) exercises management rights over public broadcasters, even the media will be dominated, resulting in a 'perfect dictatorship.'"
He further criticized, "I expect the Democratic Party’s new name will be either the Basic Social Party or the Basic Communist Party," and added, "Is being pro-China or pro-North Korea any different? When political systems are the same, they naturally band together." Regarding Lee Jae Myung, he claimed, "He pretended to pursue centrist conservatism, but now, intoxicated by victory, he is moving backward rather than to the left."
On May 2, the Democratic Party proposed an amendment to the Court Organization Act to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from the current 14 to 30. Representative Kim Yongmin explained, "The intention is to allow justices to devote more time and capacity to individual cases, enable a Supreme Court composition that reflects social diversity, enhance the thoroughness of Supreme Court reviews and public trust, guarantee citizens’ right to trial, and realize the rule of law." He also argued that increasing the number of justices is inevitable, noting, "As of 2022, the number of substantive cases filed with the Supreme Court exceeded 56,000 annually, and each justice must handle about 5,000 cases per year, resulting in an overwhelming workload."
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