Chief Justice Jo Hee-de on the 3rd responded to the Blue House's request to resubmit one Supreme Court justice nominee, saying, "Because of my father's passing, I have not received any reports or had any discussions at all," and added, "I will listen to how the discussions proceeded and speak officially."
Meeting with reporters as returning to work that morning after his father's funeral, Chief Justice Jo said, "I have had no discussions at all due to work matters," making the comment above.
Asked whether he plans to reconstitute the Supreme Court justice candidate recommendation committee, he said, "I will listen to how the discussions proceeded."
On the 28th of last month, the Blue House said the recommendation of candidate Son Bong-gi by Chief Justice Jo Hee-de to succeed former Chief Justice Roh Tae-ak, who retired in March, "did not meet procedural completeness," and demanded that a different candidate be resubmitted.
The Blue House's position is to resubmit one from among the remaining three previously recommended candidates. In contrast, the Court Organization Act stipulates that "the chief justice shall form a recommendation committee each time a Supreme Court justice candidate is recommended," prompting some to say the chief justice must form a new recommendation committee.
In July 2012, when then–Supreme Court justice nominee Kim Byung-hwa resigned over various allegations, the Supreme Court reconstituted the recommendation committee and restarted the nomination process from the recommendation stage.
Chief Justice Jo said, "I am deeply grateful to everyone who offered condolences for my father's passing," adding, "We intended to hold a quiet family-only funeral, but it became noisy, and I feel sorry to the public."