As the Democratic Party of Korea pushed all three so-called "three judicial reform bills" — the crime of legal distortion, the constitutional complaint for trials, and adding Supreme Court justices — through the February extra session, it is not loosening its grip on pressuring the judiciary. Within the party, calls are growing to impeach Chief Justice Jo Hee-de, while on the floor level it is expected to launch a "second phase of judicial reform" aimed at curbing special favors for former high-ranking officials.
According to political circles on the 3rd, the National Assembly Fair Society Forum, formed mainly by the Democratic Party, will hold a public hearing at the National Assembly on the 4th under the theme "the necessity and urgency of impeaching Jo Hee-de." Seventeen Democratic Party lawmakers, including Min Hyeong-bae, Kang Jun-hyun, Kim Dong-a, Kim Moon-soo, Kim Seung-won, and Kim Yong-min, will serve as hosts.
The Democratic Party's demand for Chief Justice Jo to step down is growing. Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae said at the supreme council meeting on Jan. 27, "It would be better to state your position on your future while some public trust remains," and on Feb. 1 posted on Facebook, "Jo Hee-de should resign." Supreme Council member Lee Seong-yun is reportedly preparing an impeachment motion against the chief justice.
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, a gathering of hard-liners in the Democratic Party, has put forward a "second phase of judicial reform." Just one day after breaking through the People Power Party's filibuster (a lawful obstruction of proceedings through unlimited debate) to pass the bills on the crime of legal distortion, the constitutional complaint for trials, and adding Supreme Court justices, it signaled another overhaul of the judicial system. Related proposals include an amendment to the Attorney‑at‑Law Act to restrict attorney registration by senior legal officials and abolishing the National Court Administration.
The amendment to the Attorney‑at‑Law Act, introduced by lawmaker Kim Yong-min, the ruling party's secretary on the legislation committee, would bar senior legal officials such as Supreme Court justices from registering as attorneys for three years after leaving office. Abolishing the National Court Administration has been discussed by the Democratic Party's special committee on judicial reform, and calls are growing across the broader pro-government camp, including the Rebuilding Korea Party.
The Democratic Party leadership is saying as little as possible about impeaching Chief Justice Jo and judiciary-related bills. A Democratic Party floor official said, "Impeaching Chief Justice Jo is merely an expression of individual positions," adding, "There has been no progress at the leadership level on the bills dubbed the second phase of judicial reform. Wouldn't the standing committees take them up first?"