Court Expands Two-Week Remote Work and Staggered Hours... Trial Dates Postponed or Changed by Courts at All Levels

The Supreme Court building in Seocho-dong, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The courts will expand telecommuting and staggered working hours for two weeks following the elevation to social distancing level 2. In addition, courts at all levels will decide on postponement or changes to trial dates based on local conditions.

On the 23rd, the Supreme Court’s Court Administration Office held a meeting of the COVID-19 Response Committee and decided on these recommendations, which were then posted on the court’s internal bulletin board, CourtNet.

The recommendations will be implemented for two weeks from the 24th until the 7th of next month.

First, to reduce population density within court buildings, telecommuting at least once a week and staggered working hours will be actively implemented.

Postponement or changes to trial dates will be decided by courts at all levels considering local conditions, but if trials proceed, strict compliance with quarantine rules will be required. It is also recommended to comply with quarantine rules such as wearing masks at all times even during office work.

Unless there is an urgent need to hold meetings or events, they will be canceled or postponed, and if unavoidable, non-face-to-face methods will be used as much as possible.

However, even in such cases, meetings or events with more than 30 people are prohibited, and it is recommended to refrain from dining together.

Accordingly, the nationwide court presidents’ meeting scheduled for December 4 will be held via video conference, and the nationwide secretaries’ meeting will be postponed.

The nationwide court Smart Work Centers, where employees can work remotely outside their workplaces, will be closed for two weeks. In addition, external access to cafeterias or cafes within the courts will be suspended, and most indoor and outdoor sports facilities will also cease operation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.