Gyeonggi Office of Education Operates Public Defender System for Administrative Appeals

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education is introducing and operating a court-appointed attorney system for low-income administrative litigation petitioners to protect the rights and interests of economically disadvantaged individuals.

The court-appointed attorney system for administrative litigation is a system that provides free appointment of court-appointed legal representatives to those who find it difficult to use the administrative litigation system due to financial burdens and lack of legal knowledge among administrative litigation petitioners.

The Gyeonggi Office of Education introduced this system in January 2020 following the revision of the Administrative Litigation Act to guarantee the rights and interests of economically disadvantaged individuals and provide fair opportunities for administrative litigation.

The eligible recipients for court-appointed attorneys include ▲basic livelihood security recipients ▲single-parent family support recipients ▲basic pension recipients ▲disability pension recipients ▲North Korean defectors under protection ▲and others recognized as unable to appoint a representative due to economic reasons.

Petitioners wishing to appoint a court-appointed attorney can submit an application form and income verification documents to the Gyeonggi Office of Education. The appointment decision is ultimately made by the Gyeonggi Office of Education Administrative Litigation Committee.

Jo Jeong-su, Administrative Management Officer of the Gyeonggi Office of Education, emphasized, "Most administrative litigation cases handled by the provincial office involve student disciplinary matters such as school violence," adding, "We will provide meticulous support so that students and parents facing financial difficulties can use the court-appointed attorney system to reclaim their rights and interests."

In January, the Gyeonggi Office of Education appointed three lawyers as court-appointed attorneys upon recommendation from the Gyeonggi Central Bar Association. Their terms last until January 2023.