The National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Monday voted to hold a hearing on September 30 over allegations that Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de meddled with the 2025 presidential election.

The plan, driven by the ruling Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party, passed with ten in favor and five abstaining in a show-of-hands vote after the opposition People Power Party walked out in protest, denouncing the move as political theater.

Lawmakers say the hearing will focus on claims that Jo sought to sway the court’s handling of President Lee Jae Myung’s election law case to eliminate him as a presidential candidate.

Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Park Eun-jung said Jo had staged a “judicial coup” to tilt the race toward former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, and that the public deserves answers.

The session could further inflame partisan clashes over judicial independence and the fallout from December’s martial law declaration.