National Court Administration Chief Park Young-jae voiced concern over the so-called "three judicial reform bills," saying they "could affect not only internal court matters but also the way the public seeks remedies for their rights through the courts," and stressed that the judiciary in charge of trials must have its views reflected in the legislative deliberation process.
With the tabling of the so-called "three judicial reform bills" at a National Assembly plenary session imminent, chief judges from courts nationwide held an emergency meeting on the 25th to discuss matters related to the bills and response measures.
Starting at 2 p.m. on the day, the Supreme Court has been holding the National Chief Judges' Conference at the Supreme Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The National Chief Judges' Conference is an advisory body that reviews agenda items submitted by the chief justice or the National Court Administration on judicial administrative affairs. The National Court Administration chief presides as chair.
Attending the meeting were National Court Administration Chief Park Young-jae, National Court Administration Vice Administrator Ki Woo-jong, and 41 chief judges from courts nationwide, among other senior judges. At this urgently convened meeting, the judiciary is gathering opinions from the judicial community and discussing countermeasures regarding the so-called "three judicial reform bills," which passed The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee under the lead of the Democratic Party of Korea and are now nearing enactment.
Before the discussion, the minister said, "The three judicial system reform bills submitted to the National Assembly plenary session are measures that could not only bring significant changes to the essential role and function of the courts in safeguarding the constitutional order and the people's rights, but also directly affect people seeking to remedy their rights through the courts." The minister added, "In the process of deliberating on the bills, it is necessary to reflect the views of the judiciary that directly handles trials."
Park also said, "We urgently convened the chief judges' meeting to humbly listen to the voices of judges across the nation and to seek solutions together," adding, "The opinions presented today will be a valuable foundation for establishing the right direction for judicial system reform for the people and for the judiciary to be reborn as an institution trusted by the people."
Earlier, on the 22nd, the Democratic Party of Korea held a general assembly of its lawmakers and decided to handle at the plenary session, as passed by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the so-called "three judicial reform bills": amendments to the Criminal Act to create a new offense of judicial distortion, amendments to the Constitutional Court Act to allow constitutional complaints against court rulings, and amendments to the Court Organization Act to increase the number of Supreme Court justices. Accordingly, the bills are scheduled to be introduced sequentially at the plenary sessions convened through Mar. 3.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the three bills. On the morning of the 23rd on the way to the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Jo Hee-de said, "These bills fundamentally change the framework of the judicial system that has continued for nearly 80 years since the judiciary of the Republic of Korea was established," adding, "They are issues that could directly harm the people." Jo added, "As we have said time and again, the Supreme Court will continue to persuade and convey its views until the very last moment before a vote at the plenary session."