Nominee for Chief Justice Lee Gyun-yong, the 'Conservative Icon' within the Judiciary

A 'Principled Judge' Who Criticized Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su
Expected to Make an Impact Starting with Supreme Court Appointments at the End of This Year

On the 22nd, Lee Yong-gyun, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court, was nominated as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
[Photo provided by the Supreme Court]

On the 22nd, Lee Gyun-yong, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court (age 62, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 16), who was nominated as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, is known as a ‘moderate-conservative icon’ within the judiciary. He was among the final three candidates for Justice Oh Seok-jun’s appointment last year, earning praise both inside and outside the court for being "professionally impeccable." He is also known for his style of pushing forward with strong determination once he sets a direction.

If Lee is appointed as Chief Justice, he is expected above all to correct the judiciary’s tilt under Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo’s administration over the past six years. He has openly expressed dissatisfaction with Kim’s administration at events such as court president inauguration ceremonies.

When Lee took office as President of the Daejeon High Court in 2021 amid allegations of ‘judge impeachment deals,’ he stated, "The current reality surrounding the courts is a tragic situation where trust in the judiciary has plummeted, courts have become objects of ridicule, and the authority and trust of trials have collapsed, shaking the very roots."

At that time, he said, "Those who hold ‘immutable ideals’ always seem to be a minority compared to those who are merely dragged by ‘changing realities,’ but history proves that this minority ultimately advances history and leads society into a new stage of development," adding, "Only by steadfastly upholding the constitution and laws against undue influences such as political power, public opinion manipulation, and internal interference can the rule of law be realized, and we must courageously build a judiciary that embodies this conviction."

Once Lee receives parliamentary approval and assumes the Chief Justice position, the judiciary’s system is expected to change 180 degrees. Given his style of pushing through his convictions, many policies promoted under Kim Myung-soo’s court may be halted or reversed.

Lee is expected to open the door to judicial personnel changes by recommending successors for Justices Ahn Cheol-sang and Min Yoo-sook, who will retire on January 1 next year. During his term, Lee will replace all 13 Supreme Court Justices. From the personnel appointments for the successors of Ahn and Min at the end of this year, it is anticipated that conservative figures with similar views to Lee will be appointed as justices. Beyond personnel, some expect the revival of the abolished High Court Chief Judge system or the abolition of the court president candidate recommendation system, among other organizational or institutional changes made during Kim’s tenure, to be reconsidered.

A lawyer who is a former senior judge said, "The most important thing is for the Chief Justice to maintain balance and steer clear of controversies over political bias in rulings," adding, "The ‘court president candidate recommendation system,’ which elects frontline court presidents by vote, needs to be revised first, and the monopolization of key positions by members of certain academic societies must end." He continued, "The main reason trials are delayed compared to before is the abolition of the High Court Chief Judge system," and said, "Judges lack motivation to work overtime or on weekends to handle cases promptly. Although this requires legislative changes, it is necessary to consider ways to reinstate the system."

Lee graduated from Busan Jungang High School and Seoul National University’s College of Law, beginning his judicial career in 1990 as a judge at the Seoul Civil District Court. He later served twice as a Supreme Court judicial research judge and was promoted to High Court Chief Judge in 2009, subsequently serving as court president at the Seoul Southern District Court and Daejeon High Court. He was active in the Civil Precedent Research Association, known as an ‘elite judges’ group within the judiciary, and is regarded as having extensive knowledge of overseas legal systems, including Japan’s. Within the court, he is known as a judge with firm convictions and expertise in Japanese precedents. Although Lee is one year junior to President Yoon at university, it is reported that they have had no interaction since Yoon was appointed Prosecutor General of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

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