Bar Association Files Constitutional Complaint on 'Law School Vacancy Replenishment System'

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Korean Bar Association, which is in conflict with the Ministry of Justice over the number of bar exam passers, announced on the 17th that it has filed a constitutional complaint against the enforcement decree related to the vacancy replenishment system of law schools (Law School).

The vacancy replenishment system was temporarily introduced at the early stage of the law school system due to concerns about financial difficulties caused by student attrition from transfers and other reasons. When vacancies occur in law schools due to new students not registering or dropping out, additional new students can be admitted the following year within 10% of the total admission quota. This system has already been extended and operated several times.

A Korean Bar Association official stated, "In a situation where the legal professional training system through law schools is already established, the extended vacancy replenishment system for financial income infringes on the Korean Bar Association President's right to express opinions regarding the law school quota as stipulated by the Constitution and laws," adding, "Through this, it accelerates the devastation of the legal market by producing an excessive number of new lawyers and fosters the privatization of the law school transfer system guaranteed by law," explaining the reason for filing the constitutional complaint.