Acting PM Han: 'If judges are appointed as recommended, the appointing authority would be meaningless'

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, speaking at a press briefing with reporters at the Prime Minister's Sejong residence on the 7th, one day before her 100th day in office, said, "If Supreme Court justice nominees were appointed exactly as recommended, would that count as appointing authority?" She argued that final responsibility and authority rest with the person making the appointment. The recommendation process refers to the procedure by which the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court nominates justice candidates to the National Assembly. Her remarks came amid disagreements between the National Assembly and the government over the appointment of Supreme Court justices, and attention is expected to intensify over who holds the final say.

Han named staffing as a pressing task for the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the agency that investigates crimes committed by those in power, including public officials and businesspeople. "Until April of next year, positions remain open to those from the former prosecution service, now the prosecution office," she said, adding, "We should also open the door to hiring outside experts." Han noted that the CIO is currently about "70 percent of its positions filled" while "the morale of those on the ground is high." She said a confirmation hearing for the CIO chief will be held soon, adding that "swift appointment is what matters."

On housing policy, Han reaffirmed, "We are working out various measures to focus on supplying homes in the metropolitan area first and foremost, without hesitation," and pledged "to supply 1.19 million public housing units by 2030 without disruption." She said efforts are also under way to shorten permitting periods and ease lending regulations, and stated that plans call for speeding up housing supply for young people in the second half of next year through new construction-purchase rental housing.