Chief Justice Cho Hee-dee skips oath but pushes back on martial law allegations
Chief Justice Cho Hee-dee refused to take a witness oath at the National Assembly audit of the Supreme Court held by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Yeouido, Seoul, on October 6, while pushing back on allegations that he aligned with the December 3 emergency martial law and that he misused official business expenses. When committee chair Seo Young-kyo asked whether he was refusing to take the oath, Cho replied, 'I cannot take the oath or testify.' Cho said that demanding testimony on his nominations of Supreme Court justices risked undermining the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence.
Clashes between the ruling and opposition parties continued over the witness oath and his refusal to leave the seat, as well as the issue of re-nominating Supreme Court justice candidates. When Rep. Kim Tae-gyu raised his voice repeatedly, Chair Seo suspended his right to speak under the National Assembly Act, and People Power Party lawmakers went to the chair's seat in protest.
On the oath refusal, the opposition took issue with the compulsory summons itself. People Power Party Rep. Park Hyung-soo objected that forcing the chief justice to remain seated when there was nothing more to hear amounted to confinement. In contrast, Democratic Party Rep. Kim Eui-gyeom countered that answering questions is a basic duty of a public official.
Cho actively rebutted the allegations raised. When Progressive Party Rep. Son Sol asked, 'Are you dreaming of being a second Yoon Suk-yeol? Aren't you doing politics while wearing judicial robes right now?' Cho responded, 'Such remarks are deeply insulting and saddening.'
When Democratic Party Rep. Lee Sung-yun pointed out that 108 million won worth of wine had been purchased with business expenses from January 2022 to August 2025, Cho rebutted, 'I do not drink a single drop of alcohol.' Regarding the expense allegations, Cho acknowledged that, as the final authority in charge of judicial administration, there were shortcomings in the process of executing the relevant budget and explaining it.
Cho also denied allegations that he aligned with the December 3 emergency martial law. He stated that he considers the martial law unconstitutional and that he never cooperated with it.
After holding his seat for about two hours and 30 minutes from the start of the audit, he left the National Assembly when the hearing was suspended around 12:40 p.m. Cho returned to the hearing room around 10:50 p.m. and, in his closing remarks on the controversy over re-nominating justices, said, 'I apologize for causing inconvenience and concern to the people,' adding, 'I will make every necessary effort to ensure the Supreme Court attains its full complement of justices.' After his closing statement, he did not respond to additional questions on solutions for the re-nomination, the Supreme Court justices' meeting held during the December 3 martial law, or the remand retrial of President Lee Jae-myung.
Chair Seo Young-kyo warned that failure to take the witness oath could lead to follow-up measures under the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act, and the audit concluded past 11 p.m.
