The Constitution of Korea stipulates that the qualifications for judges shall be determined by law. The Court Organization Act classifies judges into the Chief Justice, Justices, and judges, and defines their qualifications as follows:
Chief Justices and Justices are appointed from those who have been in one of the following professions for at least 20 years and are at least 45 years old:

Judges are appointed from individuals who have served in the above positions for at least five years. Additionally, judges who handle specific judicial matters may be appointed from those who have served in these positions for over 20 years.

The Chief Justice and justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President of the nation with the consent of the National Assembly. As for justices, the Chief Justice has to first submit recommendations for appointment to the President. Judges are appointed by the Chief Justice after deliberation by the Judges Personnel Committee and with the consent of the Council of Supreme Court Justices. The judges are assigned to their respective posts by the Chief Justice.

The Judges Personnel Committee was established as an advisory group to the Chief Justice to plan and coordinate personnel issues. The Chief Justice can evaluate the service of judges and the outcome may be reflected in personnel management.

The term of office of justices, including the Chief Justice, is six years. Whereas the Chief Justice can only serve a single term, justices can serve additional terms. Judges have a 10-year service term and may be reappointed. Judges must leave office when they reach retirement age, even if their term remains. The retirement age is 70 for Supreme Court Justices, including the Chief Justice, and 65 for lower court judges.

For the independence of the judiciary to be guaranteed, the status of judges must be guaranteed. No judge is subject to involuntary dismissal from office except by an impeachment or a sentence of imprisonment or heavier. A judge cannot be subjected to suspension from office, a reduction in remuneration, or unfavorable treatment except by disciplinary measures. If a judge is unable to perform their duties due to a serious mental disorder or physical disability, the procedure for resignation varies depending on their position. For a justice of the Supreme Court, the President may require them to resign upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice. For other judges, the Chief Justice has the authority to order their resignation. Remuneration of judges is to be appropriate to the judges' duties and dignity. During the term of office, a judge cannot become a member of the National Assembly or a local council, or a public official in any administrative agency, participate in political activities, engage in a paid job without the permission of the Chief Justice, or hold a job for the purpose of any pecuniary profit, assume any post, regardless of its reward, as an advisor, officer or employee of a corporation or organization, other than government agencies, without the permission of the Chief Justice.

When another government agency requests the secondment of a judge to the Chief Justice, permission may be granted if it is deemed proper in light of the nature of the service and with the judge's consent. Currently, judges are seconded to the Constitutional Court, the National Assembly, the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), and other institutions as required.

The Supreme Court has implemented overseas training programs to strengthen the capabilities of judges and provide opportunities for academic and mental rejuvenation. Through these programs, substantial research on foreign judicial systems and foreign law has been accumulated, enhancing the professional expertise of judges. At the same time, these programs have laid the foundation for judges to perform their duties with broader perspectives, thereby strengthening both the individual capabilities of judges and the court as a whole.

Through sponsorship of the Supreme Court, participants in this program receive training or participate in research at a university, an educational institution or a research center overseas. In general, the training period is ten months to one year. This program was launched in 1982. Today, overseas studies are conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Japan, China, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, Spain, Switzerland, and Belgium. The number of participants reaches up to 70 persons each year.

This program aims to enhance understanding of various foreign cultures and different judicial systems by offering short-term training, which includes visits to overseas judicial institutions. The training period is approximately 1 to 2 weeks.

As of April 10, 2025, the total number of judges, including the Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court and those in special positions such as professors of the JRTI, stands at 3,172.