(LEAD) Chief justice says difficult to newly recommend Supreme Court justice due to lack of grounds

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(ATTN: ADDS chief justice's comments in paras 10-11)

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae said Tuesday it is difficult to comply with the presidential office's request to newly recommend a court justice due to the lack of grounds to do so.

Cho reaffirmed his position over the request during a parliamentary audit of the top court following his refusal last month to recommend a new justice candidate as requested by Cheong Wa Dae.

"As Cheong Wa Dae's document requesting the new recommendation did not explicitly outline the specific reasons and constitutional grounds, it was determined difficult to proceed with follow-up procedures," Cho said.

Cho said he felt apologetic to the public over the prolonged vacancy, vowing efforts to resolve the issue.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae speaks during a parliamentary audit of the top court at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Oct. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

Cheong Wa Dae asked Cho to recommend a new candidate to President Lee Jae Myung in August after taking issue with his recommendation, citing a lack of "procedural completeness."

Cho has rejected the request, asking for specific reasons and the constitutional grounds to do so.

Under the Constitution, Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chief justice and with the consent of the National Assembly.

During the audit session, Cho declined to take an oath as a witness, citing the principle of separation of powers among the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

"Just as the chief justice cannot interfere in the National Assembly's consent process or the process of the president's appointment, the Assembly or the president cannot interfere in the chief justice's recommendation," Cho said, calling such involvement "unconstitutional."

He also pointed out that there are no constitutional grounds requiring the chief justice to consult with the president over the recommendation of the Supreme Court justices, saying such consultations have only been a practice that chief justices have followed voluntarily.

The ruling Democratic Party has demanded that Cho attend this year's session as a witness. Supreme Court chief justices have customarily left audit sessions after opening remarks at the approval of the head of the parliamentary judiciary committee.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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（注意：第 10-11 段补充首席大法官的评论）

首尔，10月6日（韩联社）——韩国最高法院首席大法官赵熙大周二表示，由于缺乏理由，很难满足总统府提出的推荐新法官的要求。

在上个月拒绝青瓦台提出的推荐新法官候选人的要求后，赵显龙在国会对最高法院进行审计期间重申了他对该请求的立场。

“由于青瓦台要求提出新建议的文件没有明确列出具体理由和宪法依据，因此难以进行后续程序，”赵说。

赵先生表示，他对职位长期空缺给公众带来的不便深感歉意，并誓言努力解决该问题。

2026年10月6日，韩国最高法院首席大法官赵熙大在首尔西部的国会大厦出席最高法院听证会并发表讲话。（韩联社）

青瓦台在8月份对赵显龙的推荐人选提出异议，理由是“程序不完整”，因此要求赵显龙向李在明总统推荐新的候选人。

赵承熙拒绝了这一请求，要求给出具体理由和宪法依据。

根据宪法规定，最高法院法官由总统根据首席大法官的推荐，并经国民议会同意任命。

在审计过程中，赵某拒绝宣誓作证，理由是立法、行政和司法部门之间权力分立的原则。

“正如首席大法官不能干预国会的同意程序或总统的任命程序一样，国会或总统也不能干预首席大法官的建议，”赵说，并称这种干预是“违宪的”。

他还指出，宪法没有规定首席大法官在采纳最高法院大法官的建议时必须咨询总统，并表示这种咨询只是首席大法官们自愿遵循的一种做法。

执政的民主党要求赵立坚以证人身份出席今年的最高法院审计会议。按照惯例，最高法院首席大法官在发表开幕致辞后，经国会司法委员会主席批准，即可离开审计会议。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

国民议会将启动对政府机构的年度审计

（新闻快讯）最高法院首席法官表示，将在议会审计中阐明其对司法建议的立场

（导语）首席大法官拒绝总统办公室重新推荐最高法院大法官提名人的请求

（第二条）青瓦台表示已要求首席大法官就最高法院大法官人选提出新的建议。

（导语）首席大法官表示，由于缺乏理由，很难推荐新的最高法院大法官