regret

Feb. 25 (Asia Today) — Senior judges from courts across South Korea expressed “serious regret” Tuesday over a package of judicial reform bills advanced by the ruling party, warning of potential side effects and calling for broader consultation.

At an extraordinary meeting held at the Supreme Court in Seoul, court presidents reviewed the so-called three judicial reform bills – which include creating a new offense of “distortion of law,” introducing a constitutional complaint system against court rulings and expanding the number of Supreme Court justices.

The meeting was led by Court Administration Chief Park Young-jae and attended by chief judges from courts nationwide.

In a joint statement, the judges said fundamental changes to the judicial system could produce irreversible and significant consequences and should be subject to in-depth discussion through a consultative body that includes multiple institutions and experts.

Regarding the proposed “distortion of law” offense, the judges said the elements of the crime remain abstract even under a revised draft and warned that the scope of punishment could be overly broad. They cautioned that the measure could lead to a surge in complaints and accusations against judges, potentially undermining the swift administration of justice and the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights.

On the proposed constitutional complaint system against court rulings, the court presidents said it could delay the finality of judgments and subject litigants to repeated proceedings.

While acknowledging the need to increase the number of justices at the Supreme Court of Korea, the judges said adding a large number in a short period could weaken trial quality. They suggested first expanding the bench by four justices and reviewing the impact before considering further increases.

In opening remarks, Park said the bills would significantly affect the judiciary’s core role in safeguarding constitutional order and citizens’ rights and stressed that the courts’ views should be reflected in the legislative process.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260225010007747

Feb. 10 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Ministry of Unification said Tuesday that the 2016 suspension of the Kaesong Industrial Complex was a “self-inflicted act” that damaged inter-Korean trust and expressed “deep regret” toward North Korea, while stopping short of citing Pyongyang’s provocations that led to the shutdown.

The statement was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the closure of the joint industrial park, once seen as a symbol of economic cooperation between the two Koreas.

The ministry said South and North Korea signed an agreement in August 2013 guaranteeing normal operations at Kaesong regardless of political or security conditions, adding that the deal had been reached at South Korea’s strong request. The remark was widely interpreted as criticism of the administration of former President Park Geun-hye, which ordered the complex’s full suspension in 2016.

The ministry also expressed regret that the complex was not restarted during the administration of former President Moon Jae-in.

It said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated in January 2019 that he was willing to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex “without any preconditions or compensation,” but South Korea failed to take follow-up measures, missing what it described as a critical opportunity.

The ministry said it hopes for an early normalization of the complex and announced plans to restore the Kaesong Industrial Complex Support Foundation, which was dissolved in 2024, as part of preparatory steps. It also pledged to work with relevant government agencies to support South Korean companies that have suffered financial and psychological hardship due to the prolonged shutdown.

Kaesong has faced repeated suspensions since its launch. Operations were halted in 2013 after North Korea conducted its third nuclear test and withdrew its workers, but later resumed after the two sides agreed on measures to prevent recurrence. In 2016, following North Korea’s fourth nuclear test and a long-range ballistic missile launch, the Park administration ordered a full shutdown, citing concerns that wages paid to North Korean workers were being diverted to Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

A Unification Ministry official told reporters that the latest statement was not intended to deny North Korea’s provocations but to emphasize the government’s position on reopening the complex.

“North Korea carried out nuclear tests, but our decision to completely shut down the complex ended up harming South Korean companies and closing a key channel of inter-Korean communication,” the official said. “This message expresses regret to the North for undermining trust in inter-Korean relations.”

The ministry confirmed that North Korea is currently operating about 40 factories inside the Kaesong Industrial Complex without authorization but did not comment further on the issue.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260210010003634