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Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae arrives at the Supreme Court in Seoul’s Seocho District on September 25. / Source: Yonhap News

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on September 25 urged newly appointed judges to uphold the Constitution’s guarantee of judicial independence and security of tenure, remarks widely seen in the legal community as a pointed response to mounting calls for his resignation from the ruling Democratic Party.

“Our Constitution proclaims the independence of the judiciary and guarantees judges’ tenure,” Cho said at an appointment ceremony held at the Supreme Court’s main auditorium in Seoul. “I ask you to remember this constitutional spirit and approach trials with firmness, guided only by the Constitution, the law, and your conscience.”

He stressed that the judiciary’s authority derives from the people and carries the grave duty of safeguarding their fundamental rights through swift and fair trials. “When judges fulfill this duty, citizens can trust the judiciary, and such trust becomes the most solid foundation for its existence,” he said.

Calling on judges to maintain restraint in both public and private life, Cho emphasized the virtue of shindok (慎獨, self-discipline in solitude), along with respect for humanity and sensitivity toward minorities and the vulnerable. “In today’s society, where conflicts and disputes increasingly come before the courts, the weight of the judiciary’s responsibility is heavier than ever,” he said.

He also warned that judicial independence “is never granted automatically” and reminded judges that they are “servants of the sovereign people.”

Cho’s remarks followed his earlier speech at the Sejong International Conference on September 22, where he invoked King Sejong’s philosophy to highlight judicial independence.

The ruling Democratic Party has accused the Supreme Court of meddling in last May’s presidential election by remanding President Lee Jae-myung’s election law violation case. Party leader Jung Chung-rae has openly demanded Cho’s resignation, posting on social media that “if we could impeach Park Geun-hye for state corruption and Yoon Suk-yeol for insurrection, why should the chief justice be untouchable?”

The National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, controlled by the ruling party, has scheduled an emergency hearing for September 30 to probe Cho over alleged election interference. Lawmakers warned that failure to attend could trigger impeachment proceedings.