Chief Justice Jo stresses judicial independence must 'always be protected'

Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae said Friday that mutual respect and cooperation among the judiciary, legislature and administration are essential for the judicial system to function effectively.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 20th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan-gu, Jo said the discussions had shown that judiciaries around the world face many common challenges. "We were reminded again that no judiciary has all the answers," he said.

Jo said that while legal systems and conditions may differ across countries, all judiciaries share the same fundamental obligation — to uphold the rule of law, protect basic rights and deliver justice fairly and independently.

"One thing that became clear at this conference is that while courts must respond to change, the principles that guide us must be firmly upheld," he said, adding that "the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary, and the trust of the people, must always be protected."

The remarks marked the second time Jo had emphasized judicial independence at the conference — he made similar comments at the opening ceremony Thursday — as tensions with Cheong Wa Dae continue over the resubmission of a Supreme Court justice nominee.

In his opening address, Jo said that "no matter what challenges we face, judicial independence must be preserved," describing it as essential for the judiciary to fulfill its role in defending democracy and the rule of law.

On Aug. 18, Jo nominated Son Bong-gi, a senior judge at the Daegu District Court, as his pick to fill the vacancy left by former Supreme Court Justice Noh Tae-ak, selecting Son from among four candidates recommended by the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee. Cheong Wa Dae rejected the nomination about 10 days later, calling it a "unilateral written submission without substantive consultation" and calling for a resubmission.

Cheong Wa Dae has signaled it wants Jo to resubmit one of the remaining three candidates from the original list, but within the court there is growing support for reconstituting the recommendation committee from scratch and restarting the nomination process under the Court Organization Act.

Jo had been expected to announce his position on the resubmission relatively quickly, but has remained silent for more than two weeks.

The Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific is an international forum held every two years, bringing together chief justices from across the Asia-Pacific region to share experiences and policies on judicial systems and issues.

South Korea hosted the conference for the third time, following previous editions in 1999 and 2011.

This year's conference was the largest in the event's history, with chief justices and supreme court justices from about 40 countries attending — including, for the first time, participants from outside the Asia-Pacific region.