The Democratic Party of Korea's Special Committee for Judicial Reform (Chairperson Baek Hye-ryun) noted on the 27th that it is reviewing the option of partitioning the plenary session for efficient operation in the case of an increase in the number of justices of the Supreme Court. The committee for recommending justices plans to diversify its composition but stated that it will not consider introducing a 'citizen recommendation system.'
The special committee held a 'national consultation conference for the decentralization of judicial authority and the restoration of trust' at the National Assembly building on the same day, gathering public opinion. The special committee, which was launched on the 12th, is accelerating its reform public opinion campaign by continuing to the public participation discussion after a public hearing by experts on the 19th.
The five core agendas being prepared by the special committee include ▲an increase in the number of justices of the Supreme Court ▲improvements to the judges' recommendation committee ▲improvements to the judges' evaluation system ▲expansion of the publication of lower court judgments ▲pre-hearing for search and seizure warrants, among others. At the conference on that day, there was a particular focus on questions and concerns regarding the issue of increasing the number of justices.
A young attendee pointed out, 'If the number of justices increases, the efficiency of the plenary session may decline.' Chairperson Baek Hye-ryun explained, 'This is a core aspect of the reform proposal,' stating that 'we can legally divide the plenary session into two.' He emphasized, 'If there are 30 justices, we can operate two panels with 15 each, which will ensure swiftness without causing structural issues in discussions.'
The plenary session is a panel composed of the Chief Justice and 13 justices of the Supreme Court, primarily responsible for politically and socially contentious cases that have significant repercussions. Concerns were raised that an increase in panel members could delay trials, prompting discussions on including measures for partitioning operations in the reform proposal.
Discussions also covered options for expanding the diversity of the process for selecting justices. When an attendee asked whether there was a willingness to introduce a citizen recommendation system to move away from an 'elite-centered structure,' Chairperson Baek responded, 'Currently, the system has the Chief Justice recommending a large number of individuals, so we are looking at options for decentralizing this. However, we are not considering the citizen recommendation system, as it is realistically difficult in terms of institutional design.' He added, 'We are contemplating broadening the number of members in the Justice Recommendation Committee and reflecting various citizen opinions in the structure.'
The necessity to ensure substantial hearings in the issuance process of search and seizure warrants was also raised. When an attendee pointed out that 'currently, the emphasis on document review does not guarantee the rights of the parties involved,' Chairperson Baek replied, 'Discussions are progressing in a direction that strengthens judicial control by the courts.'
At the event, all members of the special committee read aloud a 'reform resolution' pledging to complete judicial reform centered around the five major agendas. Following this, eight representatives of the public, including university students, young people, local council members, and former journalists, spoke to emphasize the need for increased external participation in the judges' evaluation system, transparency in results, securing diversity in the selection process of justices, expanding the publication of lower court judgments, and introducing pre-hearings for search and seizure warrants.
The special committee plans to propose a comprehensive reform bill next week, summarizing the opinions discussed that day and the results of expert reviews. The Democratic Party aims for the passage of the bill in the plenary session by Sept. 25. Amid the current pause in prosecution reforms due to 'adjustments in pace' from the presidential office and government, it is anticipated that judicial reform will become the test for the Democratic Party's reform drive.
Chairperson Baek stated, 'We will faithfully reflect the voices of the people in reform tasks to create a reliable judicial system that the public can feel.'