The presidential office on the 11th urged Chief Justice Jo Hee-de to "respect the recommendations of the Supreme Court justice candidate recommendation committee and proceed with the re-recommendation process as quickly as possible."
A presidential office official, meeting with reporters that afternoon, said, "Please ensure that the public's right to a trial is not infringed due to the long-standing vacancy among Supreme Court justices."
This was in response to a reporter's question: "If the re-recommendation of Supreme Court justices is requested but the (justices') statement of position is delayed, does the presidential office have a response plan?"
At present, Chief Justice Jo has not been able to respond to the presidential office's "request for re-recommendation of Supreme Court justices." President Lee Jae-myung likewise is not directly mentioning the issue of appointing justices.
On the continuing "personnel controversy" over Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee Yong Hye-in and Ministry of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, the official explained, "Personnel appointments in the Lee Jae-myung administration are finalized (for minister nominees) through the personnel system under the tenure of the personnel committee chair."
At the same time, the official added, "We are continually supplementing the vetting system so that it meets the public's expectations without falling short. We will work to strengthen it further."
Regarding the recent steady decline in approval ratings for state affairs, the official said, "We view the public's voice as very grave and weighty," and added, "Beyond political factors, we see this as a composite result across various policy issues, including real estate and the stock market, and we take it seriously."
The official went on to say, "We will explain the policies pursued by the presidential office in a way that is detailed and considerate to meet the public's expectations, and we will strive to restore trust in state affairs."
On the issue of dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz, the official reaffirmed the existing position, saying, "No decision has been made on specific contribution plans."
The official said, "We are closely consulting with the international community on practical ways to swiftly restore freedom of navigation and contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East," adding, "However, no decision has been made on specific contribution plans. This is our official position, and in fact it has never changed."