Reform Party calls on PPP to join forces against chief justice impeachment push

The Reform Party on Thursday called on the People Power Party to take joint action against moves by the broader ruling camp to impeach Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae.

Reform Party Emergency Committee Chairman Lee Ki-in convened an emergency committee meeting at the National Assembly that day and made a public appeal to the PPP. "If the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party actually file an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Jo, let us join forces across the opposition to defend the independence of the judiciary and the constitutional order," Lee said.

Lee also directed criticism at the ruling camp, saying that when the Democratic Party was in opposition it "recklessly wielded impeachment and budget cuts," and now that it holds both executive power and control of the Assembly, it is doing the same. "Persuasion and compromise have disappeared," he said. "All that remains is a politics of steamrolling opponents with sheer seat numbers whenever things don't go your way."

Turning to the PPP, Lee pledged to stand alongside the party in a nationwide petition drive and, if necessary, in more confrontational forms of protest. "Let us pool everything we can do inside the Assembly and every ounce of strength we can mobilize outside it," he said.

"Having fewer seats does not mean having less resolve," Lee added. "We cannot stand by as principles are dismantled one by one simply because we are a minority. Let us set aside our differences and unite under the principle of checking the abuse of power and defending democracy."

Lee warned of the practical consequences of impeachment, explaining that once a motion passes and the indictment is delivered, the chief justice's duties are suspended before the Constitutional Court even issues a final ruling. "Operations can continue under an acting arrangement, but full-bench rulings and the selection of successor justices could be disrupted," he said.

He added that during the Supreme Court chief justice vacancy in 2023, full-bench deliberations proceeded under an acting arrangement but no rulings were handed down, and preliminary procedures for recommending a successor justice were also put on hold.

"The very people who said the chief justice needed to rush the recommendation of new justices to keep the Supreme Court running normally are now saying they will suspend the duties of the person who holds that recommendation authority," Lee said. "If they are worried about a vacancy among the justices, are they really going to create a vacancy at the top as well?"

After the meeting, reporters asked Lee whether he planned to meet PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok. He said he hoped the party would respond to his public proposal. "The PPP is the largest opposition party, but it does not hold a majority of seats, and the Democratic Party controls the legislative agenda — so the PPP alone will not be able to block the passage of an impeachment motion," he said.