Justice Lee Heung-gu (22nd Judicial Research and Training Institute) expressed his disappointment on September 7 regarding the legislative process of the so-called "Judicial 3 Laws," stating that it fails to adequately reflect the court's perspective.
During his retirement ceremony at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, he remarked, "The Judicial 3 Laws will significantly alter the long-standing trial system and the status and structure of the Supreme Court."
He emphasized the need for a proactive response to changes in the judicial system. "The court has a responsibility to ensure that no citizen is harmed and to actively lead changes by reviewing the entire system," he said. "We must begin to contemplate what kind of court we want to create in this era of change and seek answers through collective intelligence."
Justice Lee also urged consistent legal judgments on political cases. He stated, "As political cases increasingly come before the court, it is crucial to speak consistently in the language and grammar of the court, rather than political rhetoric. Otherwise, the court will struggle to escape the political maelstrom."
On the same day, Justice Lee concluded his six-year term, resulting in two Supreme Court justice vacancies.
Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae (13th class) had previously nominated Judge Son Bong-ki of the Daegu District Court (22nd class) as the successor to former Justice Noh Tae-ack, who retired in March. However, the Blue House requested a re-nomination, citing a disregard for the customary prior consultation process. Judge Kim Sung-soo of the Seoul High Court (24th class), nominated to succeed Justice Lee, is set to face a National Assembly confirmation hearing on September 14.
As Chief Justice Cho arrived at the Supreme Court that morning, he did not respond to questions regarding the re-nomination plan and other follow-up measures. However, it is anticipated that he will soon address the impact of the vacancies on the operation of appellate court proceedings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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