Lee Returns to Seoul Facing Supreme Court Row and DMZ Blast Fallout

President Lee Jae Myung returns to Seoul on Sunday facing a crowded domestic agenda, with a dispute over a vacant Supreme Court seat, gaps in senior government posts and political fallout from suspected land mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone all awaiting him.

Lee completed a five-night, seven-day trip to New York and Mexico. During the trip, he presented his approach to peaceful coexistence with North Korea at the United Nations General Assembly and held a late one-on-one meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. In Mexico, the first state visit by a South Korean president in 16 years produced an agreement to open government-level dialogue on crude oil and critical resources while expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital technologies, aerospace and defense.

At home, the most immediate institutional dispute involves Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae and a vacant seat on the court. Cho rejected a request from the presidential office to recommend a new candidate, saying the request lacked sufficient justification or constitutional grounds. The presidential office expressed deep regret and argued that Cho’s stance would effectively constrain the president to accept the chief justice’s recommendation.

The disagreement began after Cho recommended Daegu District Court Judge Son Bong-kie, whose nomination the presidential office declined to submit to the National Assembly. The ruling Democratic Party intensified its criticism on Sunday, with chief spokesperson Rep. Park Sung-joon accusing Cho of acting more like a politician than a jurist.

The confrontation comes as the country prepares for a major restructuring of its criminal justice system. The prosecution service established in 1948 is due to be abolished on Friday after 78 years, with prosecution and investigation formally separated. The new agencies created by the overhaul are set to begin work without permanent chiefs in place. Lee must also address wider personnel gaps after the justice minister nominee withdrew and senior presidential aides offered or submitted resignations.

Security concerns have added another pressure point. Three Army officers were injured on Sept. 21 when an explosive device believed to be a mine detonated during an operation near the Military Demarcation Line in the western DMZ. The incident has become a focus of partisan criticism over the government’s handling and disclosure of sensitive security matters.

Lee’s return therefore shifts attention quickly from overseas diplomacy to questions of judicial appointments, administrative continuity and national security. How the presidential office manages those disputes will shape the opening days of a consequential week in Seoul.