Judge Oh Kyung-mi Nominated as Final Supreme Court Justice Candidate by President Moon Jae-in

Okyeongmi, Chief Judge of the Jeonju Branch of the Gwangju High Court. / Photo by the Supreme Court

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] Oh Kyung-mi, a judge at the Jeonju Branch of the Gwangju High Court (age 52, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 25), has been finally selected as the successor candidate for Justice Lee Ki-taek, who will retire this September.

If Judge Oh is appointed as a Supreme Court Justice, she will become the last justice nominated by Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo and appointed by President Moon Jae-in, as well as the 10th justice of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court announced on the 11th that Chief Justice Kim, pursuant to Article 104, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution, has nominated Judge Oh to President Moon from among three new justice candidates recommended by the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee.

Previously, the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee recommended three candidates: Judge Oh, former Daegu District Court Chief Judge Son Bong-gi (age 55, class 22), and Professor Ha Myung-ho of Korea University Law School (age 52, class 22).

Born in Iksan, Jeonbuk, Judge Oh graduated from Iksan Iri Girls' High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Law. She passed the 35th Judicial Examination in 1993, completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute, and was commissioned as a judge at the Seoul District Court in 1996.

Since then, she has served as ▲Judge at the Southern Branch of the Seoul District Court ▲Judge at Changwon District Court ▲Judge at Busan District Court ▲Investigation and Deliberation Officer at the Court Library ▲Professor at the Judicial Research and Training Institute ▲Senior Judge at Busan District Court ▲Judge at the Seoul High Court ▲Judge at the Gwangju High Court ▲Judge at the Seoul High Court, and since February this year, she has been serving as a judge at the Jeonju Branch of the Gwangju High Court.

The Supreme Court stated, "The Chief Justice nominated Senior Judge Oh, judging that among the candidates, she possesses the qualities required of a Supreme Court Justice, including a commitment to judicial independence and protection of citizens' fundamental rights, a firm belief in protecting socially vulnerable and minority groups, as well as outstanding abilities such as rational and fair judgment and extensive legal knowledge."

Once President Moon submits the appointment consent bill for candidate Oh to the National Assembly, it typically takes about a month to complete the appointment process after the parliamentary confirmation hearing.

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