[News Today] Probe bill on Supreme chief justice

[LEAD]
For the first time, a parliamentary hearing was held to probe the Supreme Court's alleged interference in the presidential election. But all justices, including Chief Justice Jo Hee-de, did not attend.
The DP introduced a special counsel bill to investigate Jo, calling it a public demand. The PPP condemned it as judicial risk oppression for Lee Jae-myung.

[REPORT]
A Democratic Party-led parliamentary hearing held to discuss the Supreme Court's alleged interference in the presidential election.

As all court justices including chief justice Jo Hee-de who were named as witnesses did not show up, bipartisan clashes erupted from the start of the session.

Jung Chung-rae / Legislation & Judiciary Committee chief (DP)
Only a few sentences to explain nonattendance is a first for me. What great arrogance.

Song Seog-jun / Legislation & Judiciary Committee (PPP)
The reason is so clear and so the letter is simple.

Yoo Sang-bum / Legislation & Judiciary Committee (PPP)
Because the conduct of this parliament is a joke.

The DP said that inevitably, allegations must be looked into through a special counsel probe, and introduced a bill to investigate Supreme Court chief justice Jo.

The bill calls for a probe into Jo's alleged judicial abuse of power and election interference. The DP and the Rebuilding Korea Party would each recommend a candidate for the special prosecutor. The bill also calls for a swift trial with the final verdict to come within a year of indictment.

The DP also called for Jo's resignation.

Park Kyoon-taek / Legislation & Judiciary Committee (DP)
Amid calls for resignation even by court members, the Supreme Court chief has no intent to step down?

Chun Dae-yup / Head of Nat‘l Court Administration
If judges become subject to investigation, they can't fulfill role of guaranteeing people's basic rights of freely standing up against those in power.

The ruling People Power Party accused the DP of trying to protect its presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung from his judicial risks, calling it bulletproof legislation.

Park Jun-tae / Legislation & Judiciary Committee (PPP)
The DP is threatening the judiciary to use the presidency as a haven for crime.

The parliament's Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair Jung Chung-rae also expressed plans to file a complaint against court justices who failed to attend the hearing.