55 Supreme Court Justice Candidates Revealed... Including Lee Gyun-yong, High Court Chief Judge, and Lee Wan-gyu, Director of the Legislation Office

On the 10th, the Supreme Court disclosed the list of 55 candidates who agreed to be reviewed out of 105 nominees recommended as new Supreme Court Justice candidates. Among the candidates were Lee Gyunyong, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court (61, Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 16), who was nominated but fell through as the successor to former Chief Justice Kim Myungsoo, and Lee Wankyu, Director of the Ministry of Government Legislation (63, Class 23).

On the same day, the Supreme Court published on its website the list of 55 candidates to succeed Justices Min Yusook, Kim Seonsu, and Lee Dongwon, who will retire on August 1 this year.

Judge Lee Gyunyong, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@

Among the 55 candidates who agreed to the review by the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee, 50 are judges, 4 are lawyers, and 1 is a head of another institution. There are 6 female candidates, and all professors among the nominees declined to agree to the review.

Lee Gyunyong, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court, who was nominated as a candidate for Chief Justice last August but whose appointment was rejected by the National Assembly, drew attention by making the candidate list. Lee Wankyu, Director of the Ministry of Government Legislation, who served as legal representative in the suspension of duty and disciplinary request cases during President Yoon Seok-yeol's tenure as Prosecutor General, and Koo Hoigeun, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court (56, Class 22), who is presiding over the medical school enrollment increase suspension case, were also included as candidates.

Kim Jeongjung, Chief Judge of the Seoul Central District Court, the largest court nationwide (58, Class 26), and Park Youngjae, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court (55, Class 22), who served as Deputy Director of the Court Administration Office during former Chief Justice Kim Myungsoo's term, also agreed to the review.

Among former prosecutors, besides Director Lee of the Ministry of Government Legislation, lawyer Lee Geonri (60, Class 16), who served as Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission under the Moon Jae-in administration, and lawyer Lee Kwangsu were nominated as candidates.

The Supreme Court plans to collect opinions from inside and outside the judiciary from the 13th to the 27th of this month. Anyone can check the list of 55 candidates along with their educational background, major career, and assets on the court's website under the public service 'News' section.

Based on the collected opinions, the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee will recommend more than three times the number of candidates to be appointed, and Chief Justice Cho Heedae will select three from among them to recommend to President Yoon.

The chairperson of the recommendation committee is Lee Gwanghyung, President of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Ex officio members include Senior Justice Kim Seonsu, Director of the Court Administration Office Cheon Daeyeop, Minister of Justice Park Seongjae, President of the Korean Bar Association Kim Younghoon, President of the Korean Association of Law Professors Cho Hongsik, and Chairman of the Council of Law Schools Lee Sangkyung.

Among non-ex officio external members, President Lee, Kim Gyunmi, Visiting Professor of Communication and Media at Ewha Womans University, and Professor Jeong Sunseop of Seoul National University Law School were appointed, and as a judge member, Chief Judge Kwon Changhwan of the Busan Rehabilitation Court was appointed.

The list of Supreme Court Justice candidates who agreed to the review among the nominees is as follows.

▲ Koo Hoigeun, Kwon Hyukjung, Ki Woojong, Kim Daewoong, Kim Mushin, Kim Mungkan, Kim Bokhyeong, Kim Seongsu, Kim Seongju, Kim Suil, Kim Sicheol, Kim Yongseok, Kim Woojin, Kim Jeongjung, Kim Jongho, Nam Yangwoo, Noh Gyeongpil, Ma Yongju, Moon Gwangseop, Park Sunyoung, Park Youngjae, Park Youngho, Park Wonkyu, Park Jinhwan, Park Hyeongsun, Park Hyeongjun, Son Bonggi, Son Cheolwoo, Shin Dongheon, Shim Junbo, Oh Youngjun, Woo Raok, Yoon Gangyeol, Yoon Seungeun, Lee Geonri, Lee Kwangsu, Lee Gyuhong, Lee Gyunyong, Lee Sukyeon, Lee Wankyu, Lee Wonbeom, Lee Jaegwon, Lee Jejeong, Lee Junmyeong, Lee Changhyeong, Lee Heon, Jeong Gyesun, Jeong Jaeo, Jeong Junyoung, Jo Hanchang, Cha Munho, Choi Hosik, Ham Sanghun, Hong Donggi, Hwang Jingoo (in alphabetical order).