Abolishing the Judicial Examination and Introducing Law Schools

Establishing a U.S.-style law schools instead of a judicial examination to train legal professionals is being seriously considered. Also, allowing the people to participate in trials through a U.S.-style jury system or German-style participation system is being considered.

On June 21, the Judicial System Reformation Committee (chairman Cho Jun-hee) under the Supreme Court publicized the important matters being debated since October 2003 on the selection and training of the legal professions, allowing the people to participate in trials through introducing the jury system or the German-style participation system, appointing judicial officers among the attorneys, and the reorganization of the appeals system.

The committee will be presenting remedies for the each matter to the Supreme Court by the end of this month. Afterwards, the chief justice of the Supreme Court will settle the reformation bill and will submit it to the president.

Major universities including Seoul National University are greatly in favor of the introduction of law schools. Also, the Korean Bar Association is also in favor of it.

The Supreme Court said, “Most of the people agree that the present judicial system needs to be revised. Although aftermaths are predicted, introducing law schools sounds persuasive as the alternative to the judicial examination.”

The committee is planning to hold a mock trial on the appropriateness of introducing the judicial system and participation system in August.

The committee is also planning to unify the bench and the bar by appointing new judicial officers among the attorneys starting in 2006.

jin0619@donga.com