Speaker Woo: "Judiciary Must Resolve Public Distrust"… Cheon Daeyeop: "We Will Discuss Internally"

Chief of Court Administration Visits National Assembly Speaker

On the 24th, Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Wonshik met with Cheon Daeyeop, Chief of the Court Administration Office, and delivered a stern message, stating, "Regrettably, public distrust in the judiciary, which serves as the last bastion of justice, is high," and emphasized, "The judiciary must resolve these issues itself." Chief Cheon conveyed the Supreme Court's position on judicial reform and said internal discussions would continue.

Woo Wonshik, Speaker of the National Assembly, is meeting with Cheon Daeyeop, Chief of the Court Administration Office, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 24th. Photo by Yonhap News

During his meeting with Chief Cheon at the National Assembly, Speaker Woo addressed the ongoing judicial reform efforts led by the current ruling party, including the proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court justices. He said, "Now is the time to reflect on why the public is concerned about and distrusts the judiciary, and the first step is for the judiciary to demonstrate actions that can restore public trust."

Chief Cheon visited Speaker Woo to explain the court's stance on the ruling party's push for judicial reform, including the increase in Supreme Court justices, and to provide an update on the trial proceedings regarding former President Yoon Sukyeol's insurrection charges.

Speaker Woo stated, "The public's doubts about the judiciary's commitment to upholding the Constitution stem from a series of very significant events," adding, "These incidents have deeply wounded and shocked the nation, and they should not simply be overlooked or forgotten." He continued, "Trust must be earned independently. Only then can the judiciary's opinions and judgments carry weight, and only then can the court respond as the main agent of judicial reform, which is a national demand."

Emphasizing the importance of the separation of powers, Speaker Woo said, "The independence of the judiciary is, needless to say, extremely important. Only when trials are independent can every citizen's right to a fair trial be protected, and only then can rulings be credible." He further remarked, "Although it is a general principle of democracy, all power comes from the people. The court must keep in mind that, from the perspective of the people, any state power is merely a small boat on the sea of the people."

In response, Chief Cheon said, "Through the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary, the fairness and political neutrality of trials must be guaranteed. I understand your remarks as a call for the judiciary to ensure that the people's fundamental rights are properly exercised through the full and reasonable exercise of judicial authority."

He also explained, "When the December 3 Martial Law was declared last year, the Supreme Court made its position clear that 'martial law is an unconstitutional measure' on several occasions in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and at the plenary session, just days after the incident, after gathering opinions from several Supreme Court justices and the Chief Justice."

Meanwhile, the meeting lasted about an hour. After the meeting, Chief Cheon told reporters, "We discussed a wide range of topics." It was reported that there was no mention of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Cho Hui-dae, which was recently approved by the ruling party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

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