Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 12th, "Even the mere suspicion that the Supreme Court conducts trials without reviewing investigation records provides sufficient justification for increasing the number of Supreme Court justices."
On this day, Leader Jeong noted at the launch ceremony of the "National Centered Judicial Reform Special Committee" that "all citizens have the right to receive a prompt trial" and that "criminal defendants have the right to a trial without delay unless there is significant reason," emphasizing that such constitutional mandates are not being realized in the current judicial system.
The "suspicion" mentioned by Leader Jeong targets the case in which the Supreme Court ruled on Lee Jae-myung's violation of the Public Official Election Act, overturning it on the 9th day after being referred to the full bench.
He said, "The state of infringement on citizens' rights continues," and noted that "there are complaints about the lack of Supreme Court justices and the burden of heavy work".
Leader Jeong stated, "There is no organization in any national body in Korea that asks for a reduction or maintenance of personnel, and increasing the number of Supreme Court justices is part of judicial reform, which in a way reflects the public's aspirations and common sense."
He further urged, "If we miss the reform golden time, we could lose both content and direction, so I urge you to take on the historic mission of completing judicial reform before the Chuseok holiday."
Baek Hye-ryeon, the chairperson of the Judicial Reform Special Committee, said, "The proposed reform legislation aims for passage in the National Assembly's plenary session before Chuseok," adding that "the committee will carry out various procedures to collect opinions."
"Increasing the number of Supreme Court justices and evaluating judges is aimed at enhancing the transparency of the judicial system by securing objectivity and independence, thereby restoring public trust while expanding citizens' access to judicial services and safeguarding their rights," she said.