Noh Tae-ak Announces Resignation...To Retire on March 3
Expected to Be Selected After National Assembly Confirmation Hearing
Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae has selected Supreme Court Justice Cheon Daeyeop as the successor to Noh Tae-ak, Chairperson of the National Election Commission, who is set to retire from the Supreme Court. Chairperson Noh will retire from the Supreme Court on March 3 next month.
Cheon Daeyeop, Chief of the Court Administration, is delivering the opening address at the "Public Hearing on Judicial System Reform for the People" held at Cheongsim Hall in the Seoul Court Complex, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on December 9, 2025. Photo by Kang Jinhyung
The Supreme Court announced on the 26th that Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae has designated Supreme Court Justice Cheon Daeyeop as a member of the National Election Commission. This personnel decision follows National Election Commission Chairperson Noh Tae-ak’s recent expression of intent to resign.
After undergoing a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, nominee Cheon is expected to assume the post of Chairperson of the National Election Commission. The National Election Commission is composed of a total of nine members: three appointed by the President, three elected by the National Assembly, and three nominated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. By convention, the Chairperson of the National Election Commission has been a commissioner who is also a sitting Supreme Court Justice.
The Supreme Court explained the nomination by stating, “Nominee Cheon Daeyeop has earned respect and trust both inside and outside the judiciary through his rulings based on his extensive legal knowledge, balanced judgment, and high level of expertise in criminal law,” adding, “As Director of the Court Administration Office, he has demonstrated outstanding capabilities in judicial administration and has devoted himself to realizing swift and fair trials by resolving trial delays.”
It went on to add, “Nominee Cheon has carried out rational and fair judicial work in accordance with the law and principles, and has performed judicial administrative work with distinction, making him the right person to stably fulfill the duties of a member of the National Election Commission.”
Nominee Cheon was appointed as a judge at the Dongbu Branch of the Seoul District Court in 1995 and served twice as a research judge at the Supreme Court. He went on to serve as a presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court, a standing member of the Sentencing Commission, and a presiding judge and senior presiding judge at the Seoul High Court, before taking office as a Supreme Court Justice in May 2021. From January 2024 until last month, he served as Director of the Court Administration Office. He is regarded as being well-versed in legal theory and particularly proficient in the field of criminal law.
Chief Justice Cho is expected to soon request a confirmation hearing for nominee Cheon Daeyeop from the National Assembly.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
