The Constitutional Court has ruled that acting President Choi Sang-mok infringed on the National Assembly’s rights in choosing to delay the appointment of Justice nominee Ma Eun-hyuk.

The court issued the ruling Thursday with the unanimous agreement of the eight sitting justices, settling a competence dispute raised by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik on behalf of parliament early last month. 

Woo argued that by appointing only two of the three nominees put forth by parliament on December 31, Choi infringed on the Assembly’s right to form the Constitutional Court.

Regarding Choi’s assertion that there was no bipartisan agreement on Ma, the court said there is no reason to view the three justices differently when they were selected through the same procedure and confirmed the same day in a plenary vote. 

The court, however, dismissed Woo’s request either to confirm Ma’s status as one of its justices or to require Ma’s immediate appointment.
 
The court said it has no legal authority to grant Ma the status of justice.