Ruling and Opposition Parties Escalate Clash Over Chief Justice Impeachment

South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties intensified their confrontation Saturday over the possible impeachment of Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, with each side accusing the other of threatening the country’s constitutional order.

The ruling Democratic Party has formally opened discussion of an impeachment drive and said it would continue seeking accountability from the head of the judiciary. Party spokesperson Lee Yong-woo argued that allegations surrounding Cho’s exercise of authority and use of public funds require scrutiny, regardless of his position.

Lee pointed to several controversies raised by the party, including the rejection of a recommendation for a Supreme Court justice, a prolonged vacancy on the bench, suspicions of electoral interference linked to a remand ruling shortly before the presidential election, and questions about operating-expense records and incentive payments. He said investigating possible constitutional or legal violations and demanding appropriate responsibility are duties of the National Assembly.

The Democratic Party also rejected a warning from People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig that filing an impeachment motion against Cho would prompt calls to impeach President Lee Jae Myung. The ruling party characterized that argument as an attempt to turn scrutiny of the chief justice into a political threat against the president.

The main opposition People Power Party responded that an impeachment motion against the head of the judiciary would cross a dangerous line. Senior spokesperson Park Sung-hoon accused the governing camp of using impeachment as political pressure and warned that such a move could become a catalyst for the administration’s downfall.

People Power Party floor spokesperson Choi Su-jin said the ruling party was targeting the judiciary at the urging of hard-line supporters and the Rebuilding Korea Party. She alleged that the underlying goal was to prevent the resumption of court proceedings involving President Lee by disrupting the judiciary’s functions. The Democratic Party disputes that framing and says the issue is accountability for Cho’s conduct.

The exchange shows how disputes surrounding the Supreme Court have become intertwined with broader partisan conflict over President Lee and the limits of legislative power. No impeachment motion was reported as having been filed in the latest exchange. Any formal effort would elevate the confrontation from political debate to a constitutional process and place renewed focus on the evidence cited by lawmakers, the legal threshold for impeachment and the potential effects on the judiciary’s operation.