Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae emphasized on Oct. 2 that "the fundamental values of judicial independence, fairness, and integrity must never be shaken amidst any changes."

Speaking at the appointment ceremony for new judges held at the Supreme Court at 2 p.m. that day, Chief Justice Cho stated, "Judicial independence is not a privilege for individual judges, but a constitutional requirement to guarantee the public's right to a fair trial."

"Our society and judicial environment are changing rapidly today, and the public's expectations and demands toward the judiciary are higher than ever," Cho said, asking the new judges to "keep in mind that the path for the judiciary to earn public trust lies in faithfully fulfilling the constitutional mission entrusted by the people through trials conducted in accordance with the law and principles."

Citing Article 103 of the Constitution, which states that "judges shall judge independently according to their conscience in accordance with the Constitution and the law," he added, "Listen closely to the diverse voices of society, but at the moment of judgment, make fair decisions based solely on the Constitution, the law, and your conscience as judges."

He also noted, "The realization of swift trials is an essential duty of the judiciary," requesting them to "strive to conduct thorough deliberations and deep deliberation while proceeding with procedures without unnecessary delay to reach a fair conclusion in a timely manner."

"The path of a judge entails heavy responsibilities, and at times judgments must be made amid lonely and fierce agony," Cho emphasized. "However, protecting the rights of the people and realizing justice in our society is a precious calling that cannot be exchanged for anything else."

The 146 newly appointed judges will be assigned to courts at various levels on February 22 of next year after completing training for new judges at the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

They were selected through the "general legal career judge appointment" system targeting individuals with five or more years of legal experience.

By previous occupation, lawyers affiliated with law firms accounted for the largest group (79), followed by prosecutors (32), and judicial research assistants (4).

There are 62 male judges and 84 female judges.

Compared to last year's selectees, the proportion of female judges increased slightly from 52.9% to 57.5%, while the average age dropped from 35.7 to 35.1 years old.

Among the new judges, 138 completed law school, while 8 completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

By law school alma mater, Seoul National University produced the most (24), followed by Yonsei University (19), Korea University (15), Sungkyunkwan University (12), Pusan National University and Hanyang University (9 each), and Kyungpook National University, Ewha Womans University, and Chungnam National University (5 each).

(Photo: Yonhap News)