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Head of Nat'l Court Administration proposes step down as reform bill passes

Published: 27 Feb. 2026, 19:09

Korean flag and the flag of Korean courts are displayed in front of the Supreme Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 7, 2025. [YONHAP]

The head of the National Court Administration offered to resign Friday, a day after the National Assembly passed a controversial judicial reform bill that faced opposition from the judiciary, legal sources said.

Park Young-jae expressed his intent to resign to Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, after the ruling Democratic Party-controlled parliament passed the bill designed to establish a new criminal offense of "legal distortion," according to the sources.

The legislation, one of three judicial reform bills pushed by the ruling party, seeks to punish judges or prosecutors with a maximum prison term of 10 years if they intentionally distort legal principles or manipulate facts.

Park earlier called for the judiciary's opinions to be reflected in deliberations for the judicial reform bills.

The National Court Administration is responsible for the administrative affairs of the judiciary, including budget management.

Yonhap