Tensions are escalating in the National Assembly as the ruling Democratic Party(DP) renewed calls for Jo Hee-de, the Supreme Court's chief justice, to step down, blaming him for eroding public trust amid accusations of delays and unfairness at trials tied to December's martial law declaration.

The DP argued that Jo’s silence has stalled judicial reform and said the legislature must step in if the judiciary will not.

DP policy chief Huh Young said the public has long awaited self-cleansing and reform within the judiciary and warned that leaving an unresponsive judiciary unchecked would undermine the separation of powers.

The main opposition People Power Party(PPP) denounced the calls as an attack on judicial independence and the constitutional principle of separation of powers, accusing the presidential office of implicitly siding with the DP.

PPP floor leader Song Eon-seog even likened President Lee Jae Myung’s recent remarks that elected power stands superior to “Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party,” accusing the administration of justifying authoritarianism.

The party said it may review whether the recent remarks from the presidential office, which some have interpreted as calls for Jo's resignation, are grounds for impeachment.

Meanwhile, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Woo Sang-ho said the presidential office has not discussed the chief justice’s status and has no plans to do so.Another presidential office spokesperson said that while Lee supports judicial reform on principle, the office is not intervening in legislative deliberations