Seoul lawyers begin assessment of judges

SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Yonhap) -- An association of lawyers in Seoul said Wednesday it
plans to produce an annual evaluation report on some 700 judges active in the
nation's capital.
The Seoul Bar Association said it has begun surveying its 6,300 members to
appraise sitting judges in various courts in Seoul, including the high and
central district court. The poll will be conducted through mid-January.
Judges in South Korea wield near-absolute influence in trials, as the country has
not adopted a full-fledged jury trial system like many Western nations. Rulings
are largely swayed by judges' deliberations.
The 17-criteria multiple-choice survey covers various characters of the judges,
including their "attitude," "speaking manner," "kindness" and "dignity." The
respondents evaluate judges on a scale of one to five, between "very good" and
"very poor."
The scores will be delivered to the Supreme Court's chief justice in January to
be utilized at his or her discretion. Results will not be made public, the
association said.
"The survey is ultimately aimed at creating a fair judiciary system through
refined court practices and fair trial," the association said in a statement.
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