Seoul Bar Association to Hold National Assembly Forum on "Pre-Issuance Hearing System for Search and Seizure Warrants"

Joint Forum with Democratic Party Lawmaker Yang Bunam to Be Held on September 10

The Seoul Bar Association (President Cho Sunyeol) will hold a joint forum with Yang Bunam, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on September 10 at 10 a.m. in Meeting Room 1 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. The topic of the forum is "Introducing a Pre-Issuance Hearing System for Search and Seizure Warrants."

The pre-issuance hearing system for search and seizure warrants is a procedure that allows a judge to question individuals who possess information necessary for reviewing the requirements for a search and seizure warrant, if the judge deems it necessary, before the court issues the warrant. While the courts welcome this reform proposal, investigative agencies are reluctant to accept it. Along with increasing the number of Supreme Court justices, making court rulings public, and improving the system for recommending Supreme Court Chief Justice candidates, it has been presented as one of the key tasks of the Special Committee on Judicial Reform. Currently, discussions are underway on the premise of amending the Criminal Procedure Act.

This forum has been organized to thoroughly examine the necessity of introducing the pre-issuance hearing system for search and seizure warrants, as well as the arguments for and against it, in order to seek practical alternatives.

Attorney Lee Changmin, a member of the Personnel Committee of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, and Professor Baek Wonki of the Law School at Incheon National University will deliver presentations. This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Attorney Kim Kwanghyun, Legislative Investigator at the National Assembly Research Service, and Kim Giwon, Senior Vice President of the Seoul Bar Association.