The judiciary is the last fortress that protects people's rights and interests as well as a safeguard against disorder. Public distrust in the court would result in the collapse of the justice system and the breakdown of law and order.
Once it loses public confidence, the judiciary faces difficulties in serving as one of the three pillars of the state, along with the legislative and executive branches. It may find it difficult to regain the lost trust whatever efforts it makes to do so.
Much to the disappointment of the people, the judiciary was found to have damaged its fundamental values _ independence and neutrality from political power. It is under criticism for having tried to curry favor with Cheong Wa Dae under the previous Park Geun-hye administration to set up a “final appellate court” in the Supreme Court to help lighten the burden of justices. It failed in its bid to create the new court during the term of then Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae.
The judiciary also incurred public distrust with regard to the alleged blacklist of judges who were critical of the Park government. Even though a special probe team concluded such a controversial blacklist did not exist, it found the National Court Administration tried to classify judges according to their political or ideological inclinations as well as monitor their activities secretly.
It is hard to understand why the special team decided not to take any legal action against those involved in the illicit act, saying there was no clear evidence judges suffered disadvantages in transfers or promotions as a result of the profiling and secret monitoring.
Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su will soon reveal his official position on the results of the special investigation team's year-long work. He should not overlook the unlawful acts committed by the judiciary. He must take proper disciplinary action and file criminal complaints against those involved in them.
The probe also confirmed the court administration had abused its power to exercise influence over judges and their rulings. So it is urgent to reform the judiciary, especially the National Court Administration, which allegedly attempted to use trials politically and intervened in the personnel management of judges beyond its authority. Without reform the judiciary can never regain public trust in the fairness of trials and the justice system.