Yoon: "Law is essential for realizing justice... Interpretation and application of legal provisions alone are not enough"

Attendance at the 60th Anniversary Ceremony of the Korean Law Professors Association
Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok, Minister of Justice Park Seong-jae Present
Yoon "Legal Scholarship as the Foundation of the Rule of Law... Facing New Challenges"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a congratulatory speech at the 60th anniversary ceremony and academic conference of the Korean Law Professors Association held on the 6th at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the 60th anniversary ceremony of the Korean Association of Law Professors on the morning of the 6th and stated, "Law is absolutely necessary to maintain social order and realize justice," adding, "If foundational legal studies weaken, the very basis of justice, fairness, and social trust can be shaken."

At the ceremony and academic conference held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, President Yoon expressed gratitude and encouragement to the association members who have dedicated themselves to legal education and nurturing future scholars.

Founded in 1964, the association consists of professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and full-time lecturers responsible for teaching law at four-year universities nationwide, currently comprising about 1,600 members.

In his congratulatory speech, President Yoon said, "Thanks to the devoted efforts of professors over the past 60 years to educate and nurture future legal scholars, South Korea's legal culture has developed, and the rule of law has taken firm root in our society."

He continued, "The core value of the constitution, freedom, can greatly expand on a solid foundation of the rule of law, but legal studies, which form the basis of the rule of law, are now facing new challenges."

President Yoon emphasized, "Law is essential to maintaining social order and realizing justice," and stated, "Legal practitioners must properly understand the essence of law and their social mission."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is entering the 60th Anniversary Ceremony and Academic Conference of the Korean Association of Law Professors held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 6th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He further explained, "It is not enough to simply interpret and apply legal provisions; we must contribute to ensuring that fundamental values such as freedom, fairness, and human rights are properly realized in our society."

To this end, President Yoon stressed, "A solid foundation in basic legal studies is essential," adding, "If foundational legal studies are neglected and weakened, the basis of justice, fairness, and social trust will inevitably be shaken."

President Yoon expressed hope that the event would serve as an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of foundational legal studies and to deeply discuss the future of legal education.

The event was attended by many prominent figures from law schools and the legal profession. From the government, Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission Han Ki-jung, Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho, and Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok were present. From the judiciary, Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, Constitutional Court Chief Justice Lee Jong-seok, Supreme Court Justices Oh Seok-jun, Kwon Young-jun, Shin Sook-hee, Park Young-jae, and Constitutional Court Justices Lee Eun-ae, Lee Young-jin, and Kim Hyung-doo attended. From the National Assembly, Deputy Speaker Joo Ho-young, and from the Presidential Office, Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Kim Joo-hyun were also in attendance.