Kim Min-seok activates full National Assembly powers in response to Democratic Party's gaffe controversy

As conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties continued for a second day on the 23rd over Chief Justice Cho Hee-de's refusal to accept the request to re-nominate Supreme Court justice candidates, Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok announced that the party would mobilize all powers of the National Assembly to demand legal accountability.

Rep. Seo Young-kyo, chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, argued during the same press conference, citing the constitutionally guaranteed right to a speedy trial, "We even passed the law to increase the number of Supreme Court justices—how can the Chief Justice violate the Constitution?" Seo asserted that the refusal to re-nominate constitutes "a very strict violation of the Constitution."

People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeong-sik pointed out on Facebook, "The Prosecutors' Office will be dismantled by October 2, and if things continue this way, the heads of all four major investigative agencies—the Minister of Justice, the National Police chief, the Corruption Investigation Office chief, and the prosecution office chief—could all be left vacant." Jeong wrote, "Does the president who caused this situation even have the right to talk about a vacancy in Supreme Court justices?"

The standoff between the ruling and opposition parties is expected to escalate further into a dispute over the staffing vacancies at investigative agencies.