Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, on the 3rd responded to claims within the party advocating for the impeachment of Supreme Court justices in relation to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the guilty verdict in his election law violation case, saying, "The party will handle this appropriately according to the will of the people."
On the same day, the candidate met with reporters in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, and when asked about claims within the party regarding the impeachment of Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae, he stated, "I am an elected candidate, and elections are conducted by the party and the election committee."
He then replied, "I believe the party will handle things in accordance with the will of the people."
Earlier, there were calls within the Democratic Party to pursue the impeachment of Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae, Supreme Court justices, and judges of the Seoul High Court.
The rookie lawmakers' group of the Democratic Party, called "Deomincho," held a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day, stating, "This ruling raises serious doubts about political neutrality and judicial justice," and announced, "We will immediately begin the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae."
Jin Seong-jun, chair of the policy committee, also noted on Facebook, "Separate from the legal battle for an acquittal for the candidate, there needs to be legislative discipline and impeachment against the Supreme Court's unconstitutional and unlawful behaviors."
Kim Min-seok, the senior supreme council member, requested on Facebook, "I ask for the disclosure of all log records, including whether the 10 Supreme Court justices reviewed 60,000 pages of electronic documents related to the candidate's case over the two days and how much time was spent reviewing them. I propose a million-signature campaign demanding the disclosure of log records," also sharing a signature link.
Rep. Choi Gi-sang, a former judge, commented on Facebook, "The Seoul High Court must conduct 'fair trials' as mandated by the Constitution. Confirmation or extension of the Supreme Court's 'hasty document hunting' trial is not a trial," adding, "The Seoul High Court must not create a situation where a judge is impeached due to unlawful trials."