Public Hearing on Judicial Reforms to be Held

Overview

The National Court Administration, jointly with The Law Times, plans to host a three-day public hearing from December 9 to 11, 2025, at the Seoul Judicial Complex, under the theme “Judicial Reform for the People – Its Directions and Tasks.” 

Recent discussions on judicial reform have gained considerable momentum in the National Assembly. In this context, the Judiciary seeks to host a public deliberative forum that engages a wide range of experts—including the legal community, academia, the press, and civil society—in offering their views on desirable and necessary paths for judicial reform from the perspective of the people who hold sovereignty

Schedule and Venue (Tentative)

¡Û Date: December 9 (Tue. 10:00 AM) – December 11 (Thu. 12:00 PM), 2025

¡Û Venue: Seoul Judicial Complex at the Seoul High Court·Seoul Central District Court

Preparatory Plan

This public hearing aims to engage in comprehensive, in-depth discussions of current issues in judicial reform and the key features of our judicial system, given growing public calls for improvement. The hearing will serve as an open platform to gather diverse perspectives on judicial reform. The Judiciary intends to hear opinions from both inside and outside the court. 

To reflect the opinions outside the court, the organizing committee appointed former Supreme Court Justice KIM Seon-soo and former President of the Korea Institute of Criminology Ha Tae-Hoon as co-advisors, drawing on their past efforts leading the Judicial Reform Promotion Committee. On the final day, the concluding session will feature a 100-minute panel discussion among leading authorities on judicial policy, chaired by the former Justice KIM Seon-soo.

Topics of the Hearing (Tentative)

¡Û Current status and challenges of adjudication

¡Û Measures to enhance fairness and transparency in the Judiciary (improvement of evidence-collection procedures, broader disclosure of judgments, broadcasting of significant trials, etc.)

¡Û Establishment of a Labor Court and expansion of the public participation in judicial processes (including citizen participation trials and potential introduction of civil jury trial)

¡Û Criminal justice reforms to strengthen the protection of fundamental rights of the people (improvements in search and seizure, the restraint of the human body, and the application of the adjudication system)

¡Û Reforms of the appellate system, including proposals for increasing the number of Supreme Court Justices

¡Û Comprehensive discussion: The Future Direction of the Judiciary

Future Plan

Through this open public hearing, the Judiciary will examine key tasks and directions for judicial reform and will gather diverse perspectives from across society. Building on these discussions, the Judiciary will conduct further research and analysis and present its position on judicial reform to the National Assembly, thereby advancing its effort to evolve into a Judiciary that better serves the public.