Top judges nationwide voice concern over DPK-led judicial reform bills
Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae speaks in a regular meeting of the heads of courts nationwide in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps
The heads of courts across the country voiced concern Friday over two judicial reform bills pushed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea(DPK), saying they are likely to be unconstitutional.
Cheon Dae-yeop, head of the National Court Administration, and 42 other officials met for an annual meeting at the Supreme Court and discussed the bills designed to create a dedicated special tribunal to handle insurrection cases related to last year's martial law and establish a new crime of "legal distortion."
"(We) sternly recognize the importance of martial-law related trials, and the people's great interest and concern," the judges said but pointed out the two bills could lead to confusion due to their likely unconstitutionality.
"The new bills are highly likely to be unconstitutional as they undermine the neutrality of trials and the public's trust in the judiciary, while fundamentally violating the right to a fair trial," they said.
They noted former President Yoon Suk Yeol's ongoing trial on charges of insurrection over his failed attempt to impose martial law, asking the public to trust the judiciary and wait for the trial's final results.
Earlier in the day, Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae said in his opening remarks that it is desirable that the reform of the judicial system be carried out cautiously, based on the judgment of experts, after sufficient discussions.
"The judicial system performs the important function of protecting the rights of the people and maintaining social order. If it is reformed in the wrong direction, the result could cause direct and irreversible damage to the people," Cho said.
DPK lawmakers passed the two bills through the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Wednesday amid a boycott by the main opposition People Power Party.
One bill calls for establishing the dedicated insurrection court division to handle insurrection cases stemming from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed imposition of martial law a year ago.
The other, called the legal distortion crime bill, allows for the punishment of judges and prosecutors who intentionally distort legal principles or manipulate facts in a case under trial or investigation.
The DPK reportedly aims to pass the two bills through the National Assembly plenary session by year's end.
Prior to the regular meeting of the top judges, the National Court Administration under the Supreme Court had asked them to collect the opinions of all judges on the two DPK-led bills.