Constitutional Court Library Overhauled After 38 Years... Gradual Introduction of Book Lending Planned

by Byun Seonjin

Published 06 May.2026 15:50(KST)

Amendment to the Constitutional Court Act in Progress

Yonhap News Agency

The Constitutional Court is overhauling its library management system for the first time in 38 years since its opening and will significantly strengthen its public legal information services for citizens.

On May 6, the Constitutional Court announced that it is pushing for an amendment to the Constitutional Court Act to clarify the library’s legal status and establish a basis for its operation.

The Constitutional Court Library, which began in 1988 with around 1,900 books, has now surpassed a collection of 200,000 volumes, growing into the nation’s leading public law specialist library. However, unlike the Court Library or the National Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Library, which provide external services based on legal grounds, the Constitutional Court Library has remained at the level of an “internal reference room” according to current regulations. This has led to criticism regarding its limited public role.

Once the amendment is enacted, “legal information services for the public” will be defined as the library’s official mission. Based on this, the Constitutional Court plans to gradually introduce book lending, which has so far been restricted, and to offer tailored expert content such as case summaries, commentaries, and thematic case introductions.

The management system will also be streamlined. A responsibility-centered management system led by a library director with external representation will be introduced to enhance expertise, and exchanges with overseas institutions will be promoted.

The collected specialist materials will not be limited to use in constitutional adjudication research but will also be shared with academia and the general public, with the aim of developing the Constitutional Court Library into a true “global legal information hub.”

Meanwhile, the proposed amendment to the Constitutional Court Act containing these measures was submitted in October last year and is currently under review in the National Assembly.