Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae said on September 16, "Laws and systems should not merely be tools of governance, but must be used to care for and protect the lives of the people."

Chief Justice Cho introduced the legal philosophy of King Sejong the Great during his commemorative address at the 1st Sejong Legal Culture Award ceremony held on the morning of September 16 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

He said, "King Sejong strove to realize just and fair justice based on a people-centered philosophy that places the nation's foundation in its citizens, and the spirit of loving the people."

He continued, "By creating Hunminjeongeum, which anyone could easily learn, he opened a path for even the socially vulnerable to appeal their grievances in writing during legal disputes and protect their rightful rights, and he also granted childbirth leave not only to female servants who gave birth, but also to their husbands."

The Sejong Legal Culture Award was established to honor the contributions of those who have carried on King Sejong's spirit of loving the people and people-centered philosophy to establish the rule of law and dedicate themselves to protecting the socially vulnerable.

On this day, the Supreme Court, jointly with the World Bank (WB), presented the inaugural Sejong Legal Culture Award to Martha Karambu Koome, Chief Justice of Kenya, and the Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations.

Chief Justice Koome, the international recipient, is Kenya's first female chief justice and was recognized for her contributions to judicial independence, enhancing public access to justice, and striving to protect the socially vulnerable.

The domestic recipient, the Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations, is South Korea's first legal aid organization and was recognized for its 70 years of dedication to protecting the socially vulnerable and providing legal aid within the country.

The Sejong Legal Culture Award was initiated after Christopher Stephens, Senior Vice President of the World Bank, who attended the Sejong International Conference held in South Korea last year, proposed the idea to the Supreme Court after hearing a presentation about King Sejong.

Chief Justice Cho appeared in public on this day amid his continued silence regarding Cheong Wa Dae's request to renominate a Supreme Court justice candidate.

On August 18, Chief Justice Cho nominated Senior Judge Son Bong-gi of the Daegu District Court, one of four candidates recommended by the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee, to succeed former Justice Noh Tae-ak. However, Cheong Wa Dae demanded a renomination ten days later, describing it as a "unilateral written nomination without substantive consultation."

Although he was initially expected to state his position regarding the renomination promptly, he has remained silent for more than two weeks, continuing his deep deliberation.

(Photo: Yonhap News)