Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae delivers a congratulatory address at the 34th Lawyers' Conference for the Rule of Law, held Monday at The Grand Lotte Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Newsis]
Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae delivers a congratulatory address at the 34th Lawyers' Conference for the Rule of Law, held Monday at The Grand Lotte Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Newsis]

Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae, whose written recommendation of Supreme Court justices has put him at odds with the government and ruling party, said Monday that the value of the rule of law is "more precious than ever" as the judicial system undergoes sweeping change.

Speaking at the 34th Lawyers' Conference for the Rule of Law, hosted by the Korean Bar Association at The Grand Lotte Seoul in Jung-gu, Jo said courts bear a duty to uphold the rule of law by exercising the judicial authority entrusted to them by the people "strictly in accordance with the Constitution, statutes and conscience."

"The judiciary will press forward without wavering in its core mission of delivering swift and fair trials," he added.

Jo said the Supreme Court laid important groundwork for protecting defendants' rights in February, when it affirmed that attorney-client privilege is a constitutionally guaranteed component of the right to counsel and ruled that evidence obtained in violation of that privilege is inadmissible.

He also said the judiciary has been taking care to ensure that no one suffers irreversible harm from delayed legal protection, pointing to pilot "expedited civil case divisions" launched this year at the Seoul Central District Court and Changwon District Court.

"The judiciary takes seriously the various concerns being raised about recent changes to the judicial system," Jo said, adding that the courts would always listen to the public and work closely with bar associations and the broader legal community "to ensure the judicial system takes root solely for the benefit of the people."

Constitutional Court Chief Justice Kim Sang-hwan also addressed the conference, highlighting the significance of the constitutional complaint against court rulings system that took effect in March.

Kim said the system "requires all legal professionals involved in interpreting and applying the law to recognize more clearly the supremacy of the Constitution and to reflect more humbly on their own judgments through the lens of the Constitution."

He said the judicial system must evolve continuously in step with the times, but warned that "no change should stray from the essence of the values the Constitution upholds and the protection of the people's fundamental rights." Efficiency and speed matter, he said, but "the principle that every citizen must be able to have their rights genuinely protected through fair procedures must never waver."

Kim went on to say the Constitutional Court would faithfully fulfill its responsibilities to ensure that fundamental rights are substantively guaranteed in a changing social and judicial environment.


husn7@heraldcorp.com