The Supreme Court said on the 10th that it has set up a dedicated office in the legal district of Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, so that public defender specialists can assist defendants in a stable and independent environment.
The Judicial Support Office of the National Court Administration under the Supreme Court held an opening ceremony for the public defender specialist support office at the OpuRance Building in Seocho-dong at 11 a.m. that day.
The National Court Administration prepared a 154.11㎡ (about 47 pyeong) office in the OpuRance Building near the Supreme Court. Six public defender specialists will be stationed there to review case files and consult with defendants.
In the past, an office set up by the bar association was installed inside the court building, but it disappeared due to a shortage of court space. There were spaces where attorneys could wait before hearings or prepare arguments, but there was no separate place where public defender specialists, who handle multiple defendants and must coordinate with the court while working, could stay comfortably.
The National Court Administration projected that in a secure consultation space, public defender specialists will be able to ensure substantive protection of the right to defense through in-depth communication with defendants. It also expected that six attorneys will collaborate organically and focus more on trial preparation and legal analysis.
The National Court Administration explained that improving the working environment for public defender specialists will lead to qualitative improvements in the public defense services provided to the public.