Cho Kuk calls for Chief justice Jo's impeachment, warns Democratic Party of 2028 election defeat

Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's policy research institute, launched a sharp attack on the Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday, warning the party faces a crushing defeat in the 2028 general election. Cho said the party had "wasted precious time absorbed in internal power struggles — over merger talks with the Rebuilding Korea Party and competition for party leadership — and as a result missed the right moment to impeach Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae and push through judicial reform."

According to Cho's Facebook post and Yonhap, he said, "If things continue like this, it is clear the party will be routed by insurrection and far-right forces in the 2028 general election." He then asked, "Does anyone think we can lose the general election and still win the presidential election?"

Cho's remarks came as he criticized the acquittal of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in the second trial of a case involving allegations that political operative Myung Tae-kyun paid opinion poll costs on Oh's behalf.

Cho called Oh's second-trial acquittal "a counterattack by judicial politics," saying it was "a show of force demonstrating that the judiciary places itself above the people and the National Assembly — a display of contempt and mockery toward citizens who took to the streets with their light sticks."

Cho cited upcoming Supreme Court rulings — including sentencing in the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Sang-byeong involving former 1st Marine Division Commander Im Sung-geun — as well as a first-instance ruling on former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's failure to appoint Constitutional Court justices. "The punishment of the insurrection rests in the hands of Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae's judiciary, yet the National Assembly is standing idle," he said.

The remarks were widely interpreted as holding the Democratic Party responsible for failing to follow through on the impeachment of the chief justice.

Cho also reacted to media reports that some within the Democratic Party had expressed relief that Oh's acquittal reduced the likelihood of a Seoul mayoral by-election — one the party feared it could not win. The reports nearly made him "curse out loud," he said.

"Is a party that thinks it's just as well because it might lose a Seoul mayoral by-election fit to be the ruling party?" he said. "Can a leadership like this lead the party to victory in the 2028 general election?"

Cho urged the Democratic Party to "shut up and unite" and press ahead with the impeachment of Chief Justice Jo, arguing that "only by rebuilding the 'anti-insurrection coalition' from the presidential election can we stop the revival of insurrection and far-right forces and regenerate the momentum needed for sweeping social reform and governance."

He also urged the Assembly to swiftly complete legislation to "settle the Dec. 3 insurrection," including abolishing the Court Administration Office, establishing a judicial administration committee, and codifying the right to refuse unconstitutional or unlawful orders.