Minister Cheon Dae-yeop of the Supreme Court noted on the 19th after inspecting the Seoul Western District Court, where supporters of President Yoon Suk-yeol had stormed, that he felt "devastated." The Court Administration Office is an organization under the Supreme Court that oversees the administrative tasks of courts nationwide.
After the site inspection at the Seoul Western District Court on the morning of that day, Minister Cheon said to reporters, "Having been a judge for 30 years, I never imagined this situation could occur, nor has it ever happened before. This is a complete negation of the rule of law and a serious felony in criminal law," adding, "Although public opinion is deeply divided from martial law to impeachment, everything must be resolved within the judicial process."
He continued, "The damage to property in the court and the situation on-site are tenfold, twentyfold worse than I imagined or saw on TV," urging, "Please deeply understand that everything must be resolved within the judicial process established by the Constitution to protect our country."
Minister Cheon held an emergency meeting at the Supreme Court in the morning to discuss security measures related to the storming of the Seoul Western District Court by protestors. After the meeting, he visited the scene. Attendees included Vice Administrator Bae Hyung-won from the Court Administration Office and senior officials along with related Deputy Director Generals. The Court Administration Office monitored the related situation starting from early that morning when supporters of President Yoon stormed the court and discussed countermeasures online.
Early that morning, some supporters of President Yoon became extremely agitated upon hearing that a warrant for his arrest had been issued and breached police barricades at the back entrance of the court. They used shields and plastic chairs taken from the police to smash the court's front door and windows, entering the premises around 3:21 a.m. Some even sprayed fire extinguishers at the police. Approximately 1,400 officers, including security personnel, were deployed to maintain order.
Minister Cheon stated that damage was reported not only on the first floor of the court building, where citizens interact, but also on the fifth and sixth floors where judges and court officials work, due to the illegal entry by protestors. The damage to court staff has yet to be confirmed.
Minister Cheon emphasized that, "The judiciary must ensure that citizens do not face any inconvenience in restoring their rights through litigation, regardless of the circumstances," adding, "We are verifying whether operations can proceed normally tomorrow, even if it means working through the night."
Regarding Chief Judge Cha Eun-kyung, who issued the arrest warrant for President Yoon, he noted, "We are in continuous contact with her," stating that so far, there have been no health issues. He further remarked, "Judges must be able to independently conduct trials without threats to their safety for the rule of law to function properly," and mentioned that various measures are being implemented to ensure judges' safety.
Minister Cheon extended his condolences to the police injured during the suppression of the incident. He said, "Many people must have suffered and been greatly shocked by this event," adding, "I sincerely hope that all situations return to normal as quickly as possible so that the rule of law can operate steadfastly."