Two Judges Emphasize 'Rule of Law' and 'Constitutional Order'
New Constitutional Court Justices Johan Chang and Jeong Gye-seon emphasized "rule of law" and "constitutional order" at their inauguration ceremony on the 2nd. The two justices will join the full bench currently hearing the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol starting that afternoon. Their terms will run from that day until December 31, 2030 (6 years).
At the inauguration ceremony held at the Constitutional Court auditorium in Jaedong, Seoul, Justice Cho said, "At this moment, I feel a heavy and even fearful sense of responsibility and mission in accordance with the public's contemporary demands and constitutional values for the Constitutional Court." He explained, "Constitutional values fundamentally guarantee the basic rights of the people through the rule of law, which rejects arbitrary domination by power." He emphasized, "I will contemplate the direction our society should take through flexible thinking that reflects contemporary demands based on consideration and empathy."
Justice Jeong Gye-seon (27th term), who also took the podium at the inauguration ceremony, said in his inaugural address, "We are now adrift in the midst of a storm," adding, "Even as unprecedented incidents and events come crashing like waves, we face the difficult task of calmly maintaining our center and swiftly navigating solely based on the Constitution and laws."
On the 2nd, at the Constitutional Court auditorium in Jung-gu, Seoul, eight justices, including newly appointed justices Jeong Gye-seon and Jo Han-chang, are seated at the inauguration ceremony. The Constitutional Court is expected to accelerate the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol with the new eight-justice system in the new year. Photo by Jo Yong-jun
Justice Jeong added, "The mission of the Constitutional Court to unite consensus, uphold the constitutional order of the Republic of Korea, and guarantee the basic rights of the people is heavier than ever." He also said, "I will devote all my strength to accompany this great journey to resolve the sad crisis and find hope." Concluding his speech, he expressed hope that "the vacant justice seat will be filled soon."
Meanwhile, Justice Cho graduated from Seoul National University’s College of Law and began his judicial career in 1992 as a judge at the Busan District Court East Branch. He subsequently served as a judge at the Seoul District Court and High Court, a judicial research judge at the Supreme Court, a professor at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, chief judge at the Seoul Central District Court and Seoul High Court, and acting chief judge at the Seoul Administrative Court. In early 2021, during former Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo’s tenure, he left the judiciary and worked as the lead attorney at the law firm Dawool.
Justice Jeong graduated from Seoul National University’s College of Law and passed the bar exam in 1995 as the top scorer. She was the first woman to serve as the presiding judge of the Seoul Central District Court’s Anti-Corruption Division. She gained recognition in 2018 when she sentenced former President Lee Myung-bak to 15 years in prison on charges including bribery amounting to 30 billion won. With the inauguration of the two justices, the pace of President Yoon’s case hearings is expected to accelerate. Measures under consideration include increasing the frequency of justice meetings related to President Yoon from once a week to twice or more per week.
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