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Cho Kuk, interim leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Oct. 9. / Source: Yonhap News

The Rebuilding Korea Party has warned that it will pursue impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae if he fails to appear before the upcoming National Assembly audit.

At a press conference held at the National Assembly in Seoul on Thursday, party leader Cho Kuk said, “If Chief Justice Cho refuses to appear at the audit, declines to take the witness oath, or fails to present a concrete plan for judicial reform, we will no longer remain patient.”

Cho explained that the party had already drafted an impeachment motion against the Chief Justice, who he said “played a leading role in the unprecedented presidential election interference ruling,” but held it back to give the judiciary time to reform itself. “However,” he continued, “Cho Hee-dae has remained silent while shielding Judge Ji Gui-yeon and the judge involved in a drunken misconduct incident. Now it is time for the parliamentary audit. As a witness adopted by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Chief Justice must faithfully attend.”

“The National Assembly has the constitutional authority to question the Chief Justice,” Cho stressed. “Refusing to appear would be a violation of the separation of powers. We will first observe the audit proceedings, but if his response proves insufficient, we will have no choice but to invoke the final measure,” he said, implying impeachment.

Separately, Cho proposed the creation of a bipartisan emergency economic security council to coordinate a national response to ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States. He also urged lawmakers to swiftly pass a parliamentary resolution condemning what he called Washington’s coercive trade stance.

“The U.S. approach is not negotiation, but intimidation,” Cho said. “If America insists on turning an alliance into subordination, the National Assembly cannot continue to pass laws and budgets that aid U.S. industrial recovery. The United States must respect the Republic of Korea.”