0
Jeon Hyun-hee, head of the Democratic Party’s Task Force on Restoring Judicial Trust and Judicial Administration, speaks during a legislative hearing at the National Assembly on November 25. / Source: Lee Byung-hwa

The Democratic Party of Korea (DP) has accelerated its judicial reform agenda, unveiling a set of measures that include abolishing the Court Administration Office and establishing a new Judicial Administration Commission. The party says the reforms aim to address a crisis of public distrust in the judiciary and normalize judicial administration.

At a legislative hearing on November 25, the DP’s Task Force on Restoring Judicial Trust and Judicial Administration presented four major reform proposals. Jeon Hyun-hee, who leads the task force, said the central goal was to “disperse the emperor-like authority concentrated in the Chief Justice and secure democratic legitimacy in judicial administration.” She stressed that the proposals respect the constitutional principle that “judicial power belongs to the courts,” while safeguarding the independence of individual judges.

Key reforms: new oversight body, ending post-retirement privileges

The proposals include:

• abolition of the Court Administration Office and creation of a Judicial Administration Commission,

• measures to eradicate post-retirement favoritism for judges,

• stricter disciplinary action for corrupt judges,

• strengthening the authority of the nationwide judges’ conference.

The new Judicial Administration Commission, envisioned as the replacement for the Court Administration Office, would serve as the judiciary’s control tower. It would include 13 members, including a minister-level chair and two standing commissioners.

To curb post-retirement favoritism, the DP proposes barring former Supreme Court justices from taking cases before the Supreme Court for five years. The party says this would dismantle the “privileged market” dominated by high-ranking former judges while staying within constitutional limits on freedom of occupation.

The DP also proposes extending the maximum suspension period for judges from one year to two and restructuring the disciplinary committee into a system centered on outside members.

Backdrop: growing distrust and recent controversies

The DP’s push comes after multiple arrest warrants for former prime ministers Park Sung-jae and Hwang Kyo-ahn—charged in connection with alleged insurrection—were rejected by the courts. Accusations of politically influenced bench assignments involving the Ji Guy-yeon panel have further eroded public trust. Against this backdrop, the DP has also advocated for establishing a special “insurrection tribunal,” signaling a tougher stance.

Legislative timetable: passage targeted within the year

Jeon said she was confident the TF’s reform plan would “serve as the cornerstone for normalizing judicial administration.” She added that after supplementary review within the task force, the DP will formally submit the bill and pursue it as a party platform initiative with the goal of passing it before year’s end.