Parliament to vote on Supreme Court chief justice nominee

The National Assembly was set to vote Friday on a confirmation motion for Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Lee Gyun-ryong, with the possibility of rejection looming.

The motion can be rejected if main opposition Democratic Party lawmakers vote against it during a plenary session set for the afternoon, as the party holds a majority with 168 seats.

If the nomination is rejected, it would mark the first such rejection in 35 years since the 1988 nomination of Chung Ki-seung was voted down. It would take at least about a month for President Yoon Suk Yeol to name a new nominee.

After serving as a judge for about 30 years, Lee was nominated for the top court chief in August to replace Kim Meong-su, whose six-year term ended last month. The court is currently led by an acting chief justice for the first time.

The ruling People Power Party has argued that Lee is fit for the job and is the right person to normalize what it claims is the politicization of the judiciary during Kim's tenure, citing Kim's progressive tendencies.

But the DP has opposed Lee, citing several allegations and his alleged personal connections with Yoon.

The DP has also taken issue with Lee's past rulings, where he reportedly reduced the sentences of offenders of sexual crimes or domestic violence multiple times.

Additionally, Lee also faces accusations of purposefully underreporting assets he and his family owned for many years in the annual asset disclosure of high-ranking government officials while he served as a high court judge.

In a message sent to reporters Thursday, Lee asked for the confirmation of his nomination and requested an opportunity, expressing concern that the Supreme Court's en banc hearings and rulings will be virtually impossible in case of a leadership vacuum. (Yonhap)