Parliament rejects nomination of South Korea’s top judge

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea’s parliament on Friday rejected the nomination of Lee Gyun-ryong as the country’s top judge, marking the first such rejection in 35 years.

The move came after the government of President Yoon Suk-yeol nominated Lee as the new Supreme Court chief justice.

But 175 lawmakers, mostly from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), rejected the nomination, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

A new nomination can be made a month later.

Lee, who serves as a judge at the Seoul High Court, has been accused by the DP of “personal connections” with Yoon. He was nominated for the post in August.

He is also accused of “purposefully underreporting assets.”

Previously, it was in 1988 when the nomination of Chung Ki-seung was rejected by the lawmakers.

The country’s top court is currently led by an acting chief justice, for the first time since 1993.