Parliament to hold hearing on Constitutional Court chief nominee next month

SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly will hold a two-day confirmation hearing for Constitutional Court President-nominee Kim Yi-su next month, parliamentary officials said Monday.

The special parliamentary hearing panel consisting of 13 lawmakers from the four major parties finalized its plan to hold the hearing next Wednesday and Thursday, they said.

The parties will seek to adopt a joint report on the outcome of the hearing next Friday, the officials said.

Opposition lawmakers are expected to zero in on his ideological orientations -- namely his capability to maintain political neutrality as the top justice.

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party has taken issue with Kim's minority opinion in the court's unprecedented ruling in 2014 to disband the far-left Unified Progressive Party over its members' anti-government activities.

His appointment requires parliamentary consent. The ruling Democratic Party controls 120 seats, far short of a majority in the 299-member legislature.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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