Supreme Court of South Korea - Composition

Composition

The Supreme Court of Korea is composed of the Chief Justice of the Republic of Korea, and 13 other Supreme Court Justices, 12 of which have adjudicatory functions. The 13th justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the Chief Justice as the Minister of Court Administration, and does not participate in rendering judicial opinions.

The Chief Justice of Korea is appointed to the court by the President with the consent of the National Assembly, and serves a non-renewable term of six years from the time of appointment. The Chief Justice acts as the head of the judicial branch of the Republic of Korea, and has broad administrative powers under the Constitution, including the right to recommend other justices to the Supreme Court and the right to appoint judges of the inferior courts. The current Chief Justice is Yang Sung-Tae.

The 13 other Justices are appointed to the court by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Justice and the consent of the National Assembly, and serve renewable terms of six years.

By law, to be eligible for appointment to the Supreme Court, a person must be over 40, and have spent at least 15 years:

• as a judge, public prosecutor, or lawyer or
• engaged in legal affairs at the state organs, local governments, state-run or public enterprises, state-financed institutions while qualified as a lawyer or
• in an office higher than assistant professor in the field of jurisprudence at an authorized college or university while qualified as a lawyer.

For the most part, Supreme Court Justices are appointed from the bench.

Supreme Court Justices are required to retire at age 65 (70 for the Chief Justice).