Cheon Dae-yeop, Director of the Court Administration Office, "Frequent Judge Changes Cause Trial Delays... Minimize Transfers"

Cheon Dae-yeop, the new head of the Court Administration Office, said on the 15th, "We must listen to the criticism that frequent changes in the division of duties among judges and staff can lead to a weakening of the judiciary's expertise, distortion of the principle of direct trial, and delays in trials."

At the inauguration ceremony held at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Cheon said, "The phenomenon of a large number of high court judges, who are the final arbiters of factual trials and the foundation of the dual system of judicial personnel, repeatedly resigning due to various reasons such as health and childcare is making it difficult to operate factual trials stably." This appears to express concern over the continued wave of resignations among high court judges ahead of the nationwide regular court personnel reshuffle held every February.

He added, "For continuous trials that benefit the public, principles for personnel and division of duties should be established so that judges can work stably in one trial panel within a court as much as possible. While the dual system of judicial personnel has been virtually completed centered on the high courts, measures should be prepared to remove entry barriers for many district court judges, such as by limiting seniority, and to minimize unnecessary transfers, thereby promoting organic operation of the entire factual trial system on the foundation of the dual system."

Cheon Dae-yeop, the new head of the Court Administration Office, is delivering his inaugural speech at the inauguration ceremony held on the morning of the 15th at Mugunghwa Hall, Supreme Court, Seocho-gu, Seoul. 2024.1.15 Photo by Yonhap News

He continued, "It is also necessary to increase the number of judges, recruit young and capable judges, introduce systems to actively utilize judges with long experience and expertise, increase judicial researchers, and expand the roles of court officials, which are essential for establishing a human resource base for desirable trials. For judges and staff who quietly dedicate themselves in less preferred positions, we will work closely with court presidents and chief presiding judges to ensure appropriate treatment with careful attention and consideration," he said.

Cheon identified "resolving trial backlog" as the judiciary's greatest immediate challenge, saying, "It is painfully felt that there are many doubts about the judiciary's capacity as the final dispute resolution institution, such as missing the appropriate time for dispute resolution and prolonged processing periods. Guaranteeing the basic rights of the people through prompt and fair trials is the judiciary's mission," he emphasized repeatedly. He also mentioned key tasks including ▲utilization of artificial intelligence in trials and civil affairs ▲drastic improvement of convenience in judicial services for the public ▲advancement of the next-generation judicial information system.

Cheon particularly pointed out, "Legislative support is essential to resolve trial delays and drastically improve judicial services for the public. The reality that the judiciary's budget, which is one of the three branches of government, does not even reach 0.5% of the national budget and that this ratio is decreasing is not only a difficulty in performing the judiciary's role but also inconsistent with our international standing."

Meanwhile, regarding the death of Kang Sang-wook, a judge of the Seoul High Court, on the 11th, Cheon said, "We received the sad news that a judge, well known for meticulous work, suddenly passed away due to overwork, and shortly after, another administrative officer who had continued working despite a long illness also passed away from a chronic disease. With a solemn heart, I pray for the repose of their souls and offer my deepest condolences."