National Assembly Speaker Woo: "The Judiciary Must Resolve Its Own Credibility Crisis"… Minister Cheon: "Ensuring Political Neutrality"

Minister of National Court Administration meets with Speaker of the National Assembly… discusses insurrection trial status and judicial reform positions

Woo: "All power originates from the people"… Cheon: "We have repeatedly stated that the 'emergency martial law was unconstitutional'"

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and Minister of National Court Administration Cheon Dae-yeop shaking hands (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Park Dong-ju = National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik meets with Minister of National Court Administration Cheon Dae-yeop at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 24th. 2025.9.24 pdj6635@yna.co.kr

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik delivered a stern message on the 24th, stating, "Regrettably, there is high public distrust regarding the role of the judiciary, which is the final bastion of justice," and added, "The judiciary must resolve these problems itself."

During his meeting with Minister of National Court Administration Cheon Dae-yeop at the National Assembly, Speaker Woo addressed judicial reform, including the potential increase in the number of Supreme Court justices currently being pushed by the ruling party. He remarked, "I believe the first priority is for the judiciary to reflect on why the public is worried and distrustful, and to demonstrate actions that can restore that trust."

Minister Cheon visited Speaker Woo to explain the judiciary's position amid impending judicial reforms—such as expanding the number of Supreme Court justices—and to provide an update on the progress of the trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol regarding charges of insurrection.

Speaker Woo criticized the judiciary, stating, "Judicial reform must be a process that enhances public trust in the judiciary, and the judiciary can only exist through the people's trust. However, the public currently harbors doubts about the judiciary's commitment to protecting the Constitution."

He also pointed to the judiciary's role in the process of restoring democracy following the December 3 martial law incident last year as a cause for public distrust.

Speaker Woo stated, "The public's doubts regarding the judiciary's commitment to upholding the Constitution stem from a series of very serious incidents," adding, "Because this was a deeply painful event for the entire nation that left the public feeling hurt and bewildered, I believe it is a matter that cannot simply be overlooked or glossed over."

He further elaborated, "It is through resolving these issues itself that the judiciary can regain trust. Only then will the judiciary's opinions and judgments carry weight, and only then can it respond to the public demand for judicial reform as the primary agent of reform."

Emphasizing the importance of the principle of separation of powers, Speaker Woo noted, "The independence of the judiciary is, needless to say, critically important. Only when trials are independent can the right of all citizens to a fair trial be protected, and only then can court rulings be trusted."

He continued, "It is a general principle of democracy that all power originates from the people," and pointed out, "The court must keep in mind that any state power is nothing more than a small boat on the vast sea of the people."

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik meeting with Minister of National Court Administration Cheon Dae-yeop (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Park Dong-ju = National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik meets with Minister of National Court Administration Cheon Dae-yeop at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 24th. 2025.9.24 pdj6635@yna.co.kr

Following Speaker Woo's remarks, Minister Cheon emphasized the separation of powers, judicial independence, and the guarantee of political neutrality. He noted that even during the December 3 martial law incident last year, the judiciary clearly declared the martial law decree to be unconstitutional.

Minister Cheon said, "Fairness in trials and political neutrality must be guaranteed through the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. I understand your words as a request for the judiciary to strive to ensure that citizens can properly exercise their fundamental rights through the complete and rational exercise of judicial power."

Minister Cheon explained, "When the December 3 emergency martial law occurred, we gathered the opinions of several Supreme Court justices and the Chief Justice, and just days later (following the martial law incident), we clearly stated the judiciary's position—that the martial law was an unconstitutional measure—on several occasions at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the plenary session."

Regarding the National Court Presidents' Meeting held on the 19th, he said, "It was noted that for the judicial reform tasks currently under discussion in the National Assembly to proceed in a direction beneficial to the public, the judiciary must also participate and move forward in a way that provides public reassurance."

He added, "While the judiciary clearly stated from the very beginning that the December 3 emergency martial law was an 'abnormal and unconstitutional measure,' it was through the public's swift commitment to the Constitution and the efforts of the National Assembly that normal constitutional order was restored. In that process, our judiciary's normal exercise of judicial power was temporarily suspended, but it was quickly regained through the efforts of the citizens and the National Assembly."

Minister Cheon concluded, "The way we, in the judiciary, can respond to the citizens and the National Assembly is to ensure that the insurrection trials, which have high public interest, are conducted swiftly in accordance with the Constitution, the law, and professional conscience. Several court presidents suggested that we need to provide all necessary judicial and administrative support to achieve this." Yonhap News