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Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae arrives at the Supreme Court in Seocho District, Seoul, on October 14. / Source: Yonhap News

As the National Assembly’s annual audit entered its third day on Tuesday, tensions were expected to escalate across several key standing committees — particularly the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Public Administration and Security Committee.

On October 15, lawmakers conducted audits of multiple agencies, including the Supreme Court, the National Election Commission, the Ministry of Personnel Management, the National Fire Agency, and the Government Employees Pension Service. The agriculture, welfare, and labor-related committees also continued their respective hearings.

The judiciary committee’s focus is on an on-site inspection at the Supreme Court. The ruling and opposition parties are expected to clash again over Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae’s conduct during a previous session, when he left the meeting amid opposition questioning. Lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) plan to use the inspection to verify electronic document access logs related to President Lee Jae-myung’s public election law case.

Chief Justice Cho has reportedly submitted a written notice declining to appear in person, meaning he is unlikely to attend the on-site session. Nevertheless, opposition members are expected to demand his presence, foreshadowing further confrontation.

The Public Administration and Security Committee will question the National Election Commission, the Ministry of Personnel Management, the National Fire Agency, and the Government Employees Pension Service. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is expected to focus its questioning on alleged election irregularities and measures to prevent voting by Chinese nationals.

At the Environment, Climate, Energy, and Labor Committee, the debate is set to center on the controversial “Yellow Envelope Law” and corporate concerns over industrial accident regulations during the audit of the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

Meanwhile, the Health and Welfare Committee is holding an audit of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Lawmakers are expected to continue their heated exchanges over claims that Chinese nationals are receiving more in medical benefits than the insurance premiums they pay — a phenomenon critics have labeled “medical shopping.”

The Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee will also conduct audits of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and three other related agencies.