In a recent meeting of chief justices from across South Korea, a statement was adopted opposing three key judicial reform bills currently pending in the National Assembly, which include reforms on court appeals and the definition of legal distortions. Despite previous meetings in September and December of last year, the justices expressed their discontent without reflecting on the escalating distrust toward the judiciary, raising questions about the frequency and nature of their collective actions.

The justices articulated concerns that the proposed laws could bring fundamental changes to the judicial system, potentially impacting citizens' lives significantly. They expressed serious regrets over the legislative process, noting that the bills lacked sufficient public discourse and consideration of possible negative repercussions. Their objections included fears of excessive prosecutions arising from vague definitions in the legal distortions measure, delays in judicial confirmations hurting citizens, and potential degradation of trial integrity if the number of Supreme Court justices were to increase.

Despite the judiciary's resistance to these reforms, the passage through the National Assembly, led by the ruling Democratic Party, is perceived as a direct consequence of the judiciary's own actions that have eroded public trust. The Supreme Court has seen damaging incidents without any public accountability or explanation, which has resulted in a profound decline in confidence. Although the chief justices acknowledged their lack of trustworthiness among the public, their statements sounded hollow in light of the urgent need for sincere apologies and concrete steps to restore judicial credibility amidst overwhelming public support for the proposed reforms.