KOR
▲ Noh Kyung-pil, the new Minister of the National Court Administration, delivers his inaugural address at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on July 14.
Noh Kyung-pil (62, Judicial Research and Training Institute 23rd class), the new Minister of the National Court Administration (Supreme Court Justice), stated on July 14, "Recently, external pressures and burdens that hinder judges' independent trials and the stable performance of duties by court members have been increasing." He added, "I will serve as a sturdy shield so that all court members can carry out their duties with conviction, in accordance with the law and principles."
During his inauguration ceremony held at the Supreme Court's Mugunghwa Hall this morning, the new Minister stated, "To provide high-quality judicial services to the public, it is essential above all else that court members are able to work in a stable and healthy environment."
Noh continued, "Not long ago, we experienced the heartbreaking loss of a judge who had been performing their judicial duties more diligently than anyone else," adding, "I offer my deepest condolences to all court members who have silently endured such difficulties and pain."
This appears to be a reference to the incident in May, when Shin Jong-oh, a judge at the Seoul High Court who was in charge of the appellate trial for First Lady Kim Keon-hee, was found dead on court premises.
Noh also addressed judicial system reform and expressed his ambition to listen closely to the voices of the public.
"The significant changes in the judicial system we have recently faced have served as an opportunity for deep reflection on whether our judiciary has failed to sufficiently meet the public's interest and expectations," he said.
He further noted that "the most fundamental calling of the judiciary is to guarantee the basic rights of the people through swift and fair trials," and mentioned efforts for institutional improvement, such as upgrading the management system for long-term pending cases, introducing a management system for appraisal procedures, expanding judicial personnel, and reforming the system for distributing administrative tasks.
Furthermore, he stated, "Improving the judicial system by utilizing artificial intelligence will significantly enhance not only the efficiency of judicial work but also the public's access to justice and convenience," adding, "I will also pursue various improvement measures to ensure the protection of human rights and the conduct of thorough trials in criminal judicial procedures."
Noh took office as the Minister of the National Court Administration four and a half months after his predecessor, Park Young-jae, resigned on February 27 of this year following the legislative backlash over the three judicial bills (the law on judicial distortion, the introduction of constitutional complaints against court rulings, and the expansion of Supreme Court Justices).
Born in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, he was appointed as a judge in 1997 and served as a judicial researcher at the Supreme Court, a judge at the Seoul High Court, a presiding judge at the Gwangju High Court, and a presiding judge and senior presiding judge at the Suwon High Court, before being appointed as a Supreme Court Justice in August 2024.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
