"Seocho-gu, Dense with Legal Institutions, Must Be Made the Center of Judicial Justice in the Asia-Pacific Region"

Seocho-gu·Songsanghyeon International Justice Peace Human Rights Foundation·Seoul Bar Association
'2023 Judicial Justice Hub Development Academic Conference'

The Supreme Court proposed that Seoul’s Seocho District, home to key legal institutions including the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and various legal professional organizations, should be developed into a center for human rights and judicial justice in the Asia-Pacific region. By leveraging the human resources and judicial infrastructure of Seocho District through cooperation among related institutions, it is believed that South Korea can establish an international judicial city similar to The Hague in the Netherlands, where international judicial bodies are concentrated.

On the 24th, participants are discussing "The Value and Future of Establishing a Judicial Justice Hub" as the main theme at the "2023 Judicial Justice Hub Establishment Academic Conference" held in the large conference room on the basement first floor of the Bar Association Building in Seocho-dong, Seoul.
[Photo by Legal News]

This proposal was raised at the "2023 Judicial Justice Hub Development Academic Conference" held on the 24th in the large conference room on the basement first floor of the Seocho-dong Bar Association Building. The event, themed "The Value and Future of Creating a 'Judicial Justice Hub'," was hosted by Seocho District (Mayor Jeon Seong-su), the Song Sang-hyun International Justice Peace and Human Rights Foundation (Chairman Kim Yong-duk, former Supreme Court Justice), and the Seoul Bar Association (President Kim Jung-wook).

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho District, stated, "Seocho District forms a rare legal complex globally, with the Supreme Court, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, High Court, District Courts, High Prosecutors’ Office, District Prosecutors’ Offices, Seocho Police Station, legal institutions, bar associations, and law offices densely located here, with over 8,000 registered lawyers." He added, "By integrating the resources and infrastructure Seocho District possesses and establishing an organic cooperative system among institutions, creating a dignified legal street equipped with global justice and a mature legal culture environment, we are confident that Seocho can be reborn as a world-class judicial justice hub, which is why we held this academic conference."

Song Sang-hyun (82, 16th Judicial Examination), former President of the International Criminal Court, delivered the keynote speech, saying, "If, through the efforts of Korean legal professionals, an Asian continental human rights court is newly established and hosted in Seocho District, Seocho can stand tall as the center of judicial justice in the Asia-Pacific region and become an active international legal exchange center. It will also widely promote the historical, cultural, and international background of Korean judiciary and the excellence of legal personnel, thereby enhancing public trust in the judiciary."

Professor Lee Jong-gi of Hongik University Law School, who presented the main topic, proposed detailed projects for the judicial justice hub development. Professor Lee argued, "We should participate in the Ministry of Justice’s ongoing efforts to create an international arbitration industry hub, promote the hosting of a regional office of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Seocho District, develop judicial content projects themed on the history of Korean judiciary and legal figures, establish the Seoul Human Rights Law Academy, and pursue the hosting of an Asian Human Rights Court." He added, "Creating an economic profit structure through strengthening judicial content will ensure a virtuous cycle and sustainability of judicial values through the industrialization of moral values."

Additionally, a panel discussion chaired by Min Il-young (68, 10th Judicial Research and Training Institute class), representative lawyer of Law Firm Sejong, was held. Panelists included Kim Kyung-soo (63, 17th class), lawyer at Yulchon; Kim Kwan-gi (60, 20th class), Senior Vice President of the Korean Bar Association; Kim Soo-hong (46, 35th class), Policy Planning Director at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office; Shin Jae-hwan (48, 31st class), Planning and General Review Officer at the Supreme Court; Lee Soo-hyung, CEO of Legal Times; Lee Je-seung, Vice Dean of Seoul National University Graduate School of Environmental Studies; and Hong Se-wook (52, 42nd class), representative lawyer of Law Office Batang.

Hong Yoon-ji, Legal Times Reporter

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.

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