Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae: "The Rule of Law Controlling Arbitrary State Power Is Precious"

Congratulatory Speech at the 34th Lawyers’ Conference for the Rule of Law Hosted by the Korean Bar Association

Yonhap News Agency

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae stated on August 24 that “the value of the ‘rule of law,’ which controls the arbitrary exercise of state power and protects the freedoms and rights of the people, is more precious than ever as the judicial system is undergoing major changes.”

Chief Justice Cho made these remarks during his congratulatory speech at the “34th Lawyers’ Conference for the Rule of Law,” hosted by the Korean Bar Association and held at The Grand Lotte Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul, on this day. He said, “The courts have a responsibility to strictly exercise the judicial power entrusted to them by the people in accordance with the Constitution, laws, and conscience to substantively realize the rule of law.”

He added, “The judiciary will remain steadfast in fulfilling its fundamental duty of delivering swift and fair trials.” Chief Justice Cho emphasized the judiciary’s efforts to protect citizens’ rights, saying, “In February, the Supreme Court clearly reaffirmed that attorney-client privilege is a core element of the constitutionally guaranteed ‘right to assistance of counsel.’ The Court established the foundation for safeguarding the right of defense by denying the admissibility of evidence collected in violation of this privilege.”

Chief Justice Cho further stated, “The judiciary takes seriously the various concerns raised about recent changes in the judicial system. We will always listen carefully to the voices of the people and closely communicate with bar associations and the legal community, doing our utmost so that the judicial system is dedicated solely to serving the public.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.