Seo Young-kyo, chairperson of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, referred to Seoul High Court Judge Kim Min-gi, who was said to have been preferred by the presidential office as the successor to Supreme Court Justice Roh Tae-ak, saying Kim was "the only person who can raise a voice to Jo Hee-de." The point was that Chief Justice Jo did not recommend Kim, who could take a different position from Jo.
On the morning of the 25th, shortly after holding a press conference at the National Assembly calling for Chief Justice Jo to attend a full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Seo told reporters that Judge Kim was "the only person who can raise a voice to Jo Hee-de."
She added, "I didn't ask whether the presidential office is insisting or not," but said, "When I asked about Kim Min-gi, I was told he is a labor law expert who works from dawn until late at night."
Seo then said of why Chief Justice Jo did not recommend Kim, "(Judges) are all wrapped up like this around Jo Hee-de, but Kim Min-gi is not," adding, "From the chief justice's standpoint, even to the death, Kim Min-gi is a no."
Judge Kim made the final shortlist of four for the successor to Supreme Court Justice Roh Tae-ak. At the time, the presidential office was said to prefer recommending Kim as the successor to the former justice, but Chief Justice Jo instead recommended Senior Judge Son Bong-gi of the Daegu District Court.
However, some in the opposition argue that Kim's past rulings and family ties make Kim unsuitable as a Supreme Court justice candidate.
People Power Party lawmaker Cho Bae-sook said at a full meeting of the Special Committee on Budget & Accounts the previous day that "Judge Kim handed down a ruling that overturned the first-instance prison sentences for Kim Man-bae, the major shareholder of Hwacheon Daeyu, and former Seongnam City Council chair Choi Yun-gil, in the case involving lobbying for a Seongnam Development Corporation local government ordinance, which was the starting point of the Daejang-dong project." She also raised the possibility of a conflict of interest, saying, "Judge Kim's spouse is a sitting justice of the Constitutional Court."