In "results of the regular audit of the Supreme Court" released on the 31st, the Board of Audit and Inspection said, "The National Court Administration paid 1,299,000,000 won in cash as encouragement money to 12 Supreme Court justices and the Minister over three years from 2022 to last year without any basis in law."
Under the Board of Audit and Inspection Act, the Board of Audit and Inspection may audit the Supreme Court, a constitutional institution, only on accounting matters, not overall operations. The board's internal rules also require a regular audit of the Supreme Court every two years. However, this audit was conducted for the first time since 2021, taking place in Nov.–Dec. last year.
In addition, the release of the audit results came as the Supreme Court and the presidential office were at odds over the appointment of justices. On this, the Board of Audit and Inspection said, "It usually takes about eight months from starting an audit to finishing it," and "We did not set the release timing with any particular intent."
◇ "Administration paid 2 million to 3 million won monthly to justices and the Minister as encouragement money"
According to the Board of Audit and Inspection, the administration paid an average of 2 million won per month as encouragement money to 12 Supreme Court justices from 2022 to Apr. 2024. During this period, it paid 3 million won in Jan. and Aug. 2022 and in Jan. 2023, and 3.5 million won in Jan. 2024. It also said that from May 2024 to last September, the monthly payments to justices were varied by individual, ranging from at least 1 million won to as much as 4 million won.
The administration also reportedly paid the Minister 3 million won in encouragement money every month from 2022 to Apr. 2024. It was said to have given the Minister more than usual—4.5 million won in Jan. and Aug. 2022 and in Jan. 2023, and 3.5 million won in Jan. 2024. It was further reported that from May 2024 to last September, it paid between at least 2 million won and as much as 4 million won each month.
The total encouragement money paid this way came to 1,299,000,000 won. By year: ▲ 346,000,000 won in 2022 ▲ 337,500,000 won in 2023 ▲ 364,500,000 won in 2024 ▲ 251,000,000 won in 2025. The Board of Audit and Inspection said, "The administration made it appear the encouragement money was not a fixed monthly amount, but it regularly paid it, typically twice a month, and in 2024 the annual amount per justice was similar, at 26.5 million won to 30.5 million won."
The administration also paid a total of 159,900,000 won from 2022 to Sept. 2025 to the Supreme Court chief justice's security and protocol team and the official residence guard. It was said to have given the security and protocol team between at least 1.5 million won and as much as 2.5 million won monthly, and the official residence guard between at least 1.5 million won and as much as 2.8 million won monthly.
◇ Administration says it "encouraged efforts around panel and full bench sessions"... Board of Audit and Inspection says "regular payment of encouragement money is prohibited"
The administration reportedly told the Board of Audit and Inspection that the payments were made under the Supreme Court's budget and fund operation execution guidelines. According to the guidelines, encouragement money is to be executed by an organization to recognize excellent departments and outstanding employees.
It added, "Encouragement money for justices was paid to encourage the efforts of justices and judicial researchers who were involved in trials around the dates of small panel (sobu) or full bench sessions." It also said, "Encouragement money for the National Court Administration Minister took into account the overall management of judicial administration, external affairs, and concurrent support for trials."
However, the Board of Audit and Inspection said, "The same guidelines prohibit regular payments of encouragement money, but in effect it was paid regularly."
In response, the administration said, "Respecting the board's point, the Supreme Court prepared and has been implementing since last month its own improvement plan to pay different amounts based on performance and workload."