National Public Hearing Held for Decentralization of Judicial Power and Restoration of Trust
On August 27, the Democratic Party of Korea resolved to complete judicial reform and began the process of securing public support. Although some concerns have recently been raised within the ruling bloc about judicial reform focused on increasing the number of Supreme Court justices, the party appears to be pushing ahead quickly to avoid losing momentum.
The Democratic Party’s Special Committee on Judicial Reform for the People, chaired by Assemblywoman Baek Hye-ryeon, held a “National Public Hearing for the Decentralization of Judicial Power and Restoration of Trust” at 11 a.m. in the National Assembly Members’ Office Building’s first small conference room.
Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae launched the special committee on judicial reform on August 12 as part of his party convention pledges. At the inaugural meeting held on the same day, the committee confirmed five key agenda items to be pursued before Chuseok: increasing the number of Supreme Court justices from the current 14 to 30, improving the method of nominating Supreme Court justices, enhancing the judicial evaluation system, expanding the scope of public access to lower court rulings, and introducing a pre-approval system for search and seizure warrants.
The public hearing was organized to directly listen to citizens’ demands regarding the five core judicial reform agendas. Eight citizen representatives, including people in their 20s to 50s, local council members, and former journalists, participated as speakers. They called for the right to fair and speedy trials through the judicial evaluation system and the expansion of Supreme Court justices, and pointed out that public access to lower court rulings should be broadly guaranteed to ensure the public’s right to know. In addition, a participant in their 50s and a former journalist who had experienced search and seizure argued that a pre-approval system for search and seizure warrants is necessary to protect basic rights.
This public hearing is seen as an effort to create a favorable atmosphere by amplifying public voices on the need for judicial reform, with the goal of passing related bills before Chuseok. At a public hearing hosted by the special committee on August 16, even progressive figures such as Assemblyman Park Hee-seung, a former judge, and lawyer Yeo Yeon-sim from Lawyers for a Democratic Society, expressed caution, stating that increasing the number of Supreme Court justices and forming a judicial evaluation committee could raise concerns about lower courts and potentially undermine judicial independence.
However, in the judicial reform resolution adopted that day, Chairwoman Baek and other committee members emphasized, “The true protagonists of all reform are the people,” and stressed, “We will achieve real change by listening to the public.”
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