Overview
- The Democratic Party moved the special tribunal bill and a related ‘legal distortion’ measure through the Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee and signals a push to pass them this month.
- Party leaders say they will review constitutional issues and consider revisions but vow to proceed to meet public demands for faster insurrection trials.
- South Korea’s top judges issued a rare joint statement opposing both bills as likely unconstitutional, citing risks to judicial neutrality and the public’s right to a fair trial.
- The proposal would bypass random case assignment by creating exclusive trial and appellate divisions, with judges recommended by a panel that includes the justice minister and the Constitutional Court’s secretary‑general.
- Legal experts and allied parties warn defendants would quickly file constitutional challenges that could pause proceedings, while a floated change to let trials continue during review raises equality‑before‑the‑law concerns.