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Seoul National University’s 15-Year Corporate Transformation: A Warning Against National Universities Becoming Private 국립대학을 공기업이나 사립대학처럼 독립 법인으로 전환해 자율성을 보장하고 글로벌 경쟁력을 끌어올리겠다는 ‘국립대 법인화’ 구상이 다시 고개를 들고 있다. 그러나 국립대의 사립대화(化)가 몰고 올 파장은 단순한 지배구조 개편에 그치지 않는다. 공공성과 기초학문 보호라는 국립대 본연의 헌법적 책무를 훼손하고, 정부의 재정 지원 책임을 대학과 학생·학부모에게 전가해 고등교육의 공공 기반 자체를 무너뜨릴 수 있다는 우려가 나온다. 이에 는 고등교육계가 직면한 현안 중 하나이자 정부가 추진 중인 ‘국립대 법인화’와 관련해 ‘국립대학법인 서울대학교’의 지난 14년 운영 궤적을 돌아보고, 현장의 명암과 제도적 선제 과제를 짚어봤다. 유연성 확보된 정원·인사 vs 거버넌스 후퇴와 신분 불안 ‘명암’ 16일 취재를 종합하면, 지난 2011년 출범한 서울대 법인화 15년의 성적표를 두고 학내 평가는 엇갈린다. 우선 제도적 유연성과 책임 행정이 안착됐다는 점은 법인화의 대표적 순기능으로 꼽힌다. 보직 교수를 지냈던 A씨는 “과거 국립대 시절에는 행정안전부의 엄격한 공무원 총정원 규제를 받아 서울대병원 임상교수 등 현장에 꼭 필요한 전문 인력조차 정규 전임교수로 전환하기 어려웠다”며 “법인화 이후 국가 정원 통제에서 벗어나 우수한 의료·연구 인력을 대학 자체 정원으로 대거 흡수할 수 있었던 것은 법인화가 아니었으면 불가능했던 변화”라고 짚었다. 총장의 인사권 독립으로 교육부 순환보직 관행에서 벗어나 전문 행정 인력을 안정적으로 확보한 점 역시 긍정적 평가를 받는다. 보직을 역임한 교수 B씨는 “정년 보장과 서울 근무의 이점, 교육부 대비 유연한 근무 환경 덕분에 채용 시 최우수 인재들의 지원이 늘며 행정의 질적 도약이 이뤄졌다”고 설명했다. 하지만 이 같은 외형적 인사 유연성 이면에는 ‘거버넌스 후퇴’와 ‘교원 신분 불안’이라는 짙은 그늘이 드리워져 있다. 거점국립대들이 총장 직선제를 복원하며 민주적 정통성을 강화한 것과 달리, 서울대는 이사회가 총장을 최종 낙점하는 간선제 틀에 갇혀 구성원들의 자율적 의사결정권이 제약받고 있다는 비판이 꾸준하다. 교원의 지위 역시 불안정해졌다. 공무원 신분을 상실하고 사립학교교직원연금(사학연금) 체제로 편입되면서 직업적 안정성에 균열이 생겼다. 익명을 요구한 서울대 관계자는 “근속연수를 고려할 때 사학연금의 실제 수령액이 공무원연금에 뒤지지 않고, 대학이 자체적으로 보수체계를 유연화해 성과급이나 연봉을 책정할 수 있는 법적 기반이 마련된 것은 사실”이라고 말했다. 반면 임정묵 서울대 교수회 회장은 “사학연금 고갈 우려 속에서 신진 교원들이 체감하는 박탈감은 상당하며, 실제 급여나 복지 처우 개선은 피부에 와닿지 않았다”며 “국제 순위 상승이나 연구비 증액 역시 개별 교수들의 연구 역량과 R&D 수주 결실일 뿐, 법인화 체제의 혜택으로 보기는 어렵다”고 선을 그었다. ‘출연금 7000억’ 외형 팽창에도 재정 종속 심화…‘반쪽짜리 자율’ 재정과 회계 운용 부문에서도 ‘자율권 확보’라는 당초 취지는 무색해졌다. 외형상 재정 규모는 크게 불어났다. 서울대의 전체 법인회계 예산(약 1조 2000억 원) 중 정부 출연금은 법인화 초기 약 3500억 원대에서 2026년 현재 7000억 원을 돌파하며 15년 새 두 배 가까이 팽창했다. 그러나 덩치가 커진 만큼 정부 재정 의존도 역시 동반 상승하는 역설을 낳았다. 수익 사업을 통해 독자적인 재정 기반을 구축하려 해도 ‘산학협력법’ 등 촘촘한 상위법 규제와 지분 매각 의무, 세제 제약 탓에 자립적 수익 모델 창출은 원천 봉쇄돼 있다. 예산 집행의 자율성도 사실상 명목에 불과하다. 정부는 총액(통합) 예산을 지원한다고 홍보하지만, 실상은 국립대 시절과 다름없이 세부 비목(목·세목)을 일일이 쪼개 교육부와 기획재정부의 사전 승인을 받아야 한다. 막대한 국민 세금이 투입되는 구조인 만큼 감사원과 국회의 현미경 감사가 상시화돼 있고, 운영비를 인건비로 전용하거나 우수 교원에게 파격적인 인센티브를 차등 지급하는 자율적 예산 집행권은 작동하지 않는다. 임정묵 회장은 “교육부는 서울대 법인화를 성공 사례로 포장해 타 국립대 확산의 레퍼런스로 삼으려 하지만, 학내 다수 교수들이 체감하는 온도는 정반대”라며 “법인화 당시 공언했던 자율성과 재정 자립은 실종되고 오히려 정부 통제만 고착화된 ‘실패한 모델’에 가깝다”고 단언했다. “OECD 유일의 직접 관장 벗어나야”…‘책임운영기관제’는 실질적 대안 이처럼 법인화에 대한 학내 평가가 엇갈리는 가운데, 고등교육 거버넌스 개편의 해법을 다른 각도에서 찾아야 한다는 목소리가 설득력을 얻고 있다. 경제협력개발기구(OECD) 주요국 중 정부가 국립대를 중앙행정기구의 하부 조직처럼 세세하게 직접 관장하는 국가는 극히 드물며, 이러한 관료주의적 관리가 국립대의 경쟁력 정체를 부른 구조적 원인이라는 분석이다. 국립대 거버넌스 제도 연구에 정통한 한 고등교육 정책 전문가는 “국립대의 글로벌 경쟁력을 끌어올리기 위해서는 대학이 스스로 책임을 지고 특성화 전략을 펼 수 있도록 실질적 자율성을 대폭 이양해야 한다”고 지적했다. 그는 최근 거론되는 ‘책임운영기관제’와 관련해 “일각에서는 ‘책임운영기관제가 결국 사립대식 법인화로 가기 위한 사전 단계 아니냐’는 의구심을 갖지만 이는 오해”라며 “이 정책의 본질은 교직원 신분 불안과 공공성 훼손을 초래하는 법인화와는 결을 달리하며, 현 국립대 틀 안에서 운영·재정 자율권을 실질적으로 보장하려는 제도적 대안”이라고 설명했다. 이어 “대학에 포괄적으로 예산을 배정(블록재정)하되, 총장이 자율적으로 정한 발전 목표와 성과를 토대로 사후 평가하는 체계가 도입돼야 한다”며 “특히 국립대의 공공적 가치를 지키기 위해 취업률 같은 획일적 정량 지표에서 벗어나 인문·순수과학 등 기초학문 육성 책무를 별도로 특화 평가하고, 총장 직선제 등 학내 민주적 의사결정 구조를 온전히 보장하는 설계가 전제돼야 한다”고 강조했다. ‘고등교육법 제5조’ 족쇄 풀고 특수법인 맞춤형 법률 제정 선행돼야 결국 문제의 본질은 ‘법인화냐 아니냐’라는 형식적 간판 바꾸기에 있지 않다. 대학을 옭아맨 정부의 획일적 통제 시스템을 걷어내고, 실질적 자율을 뒷받침할 법·제도적 인프라를 마련하는 것이 핵심이다. 서울대조차 온전한 자율을 누리지 못하는 배경에는 정부 예산 지원 체계의 태생적 한계가 자리한다. 서울대 사정에 밝은 교육계 관계자는 “정부가 대학 예산의 절대다수를 지원하는 회계 시스템 아래에서는 공무원이 집행 책임을 지기 위해 사전 규제와 사후 감사를 강화할 수밖에 없다”며 “미국 유수 대학처럼 등록금·기부금·기술료 수익 등을 통한 독자적 재정 자립 기반이 없는 상태에서 정부 돈에 전적으로 의존한다면 어떠한 법인도 진정한 자율을 획득하기 어렵다”고 진단했다. 그는 “과거 KAIST나 KIST 설립 당시 파격적인 특례를 부여해 정부 간섭을 최소화했던 것처럼, 국가 연구개발과 고등교육의 특수성을 인정하는 ‘특수법률적 결단’이 선행되지 않는다면 어떤 개편도 공염불에 그칠 것”이라고 경고했다. 가장 시급한 과제로는 법인화 대학조차 묶어두고 있는 ‘고등교육법 제5조’(학교는 교육부장관의 지도·감독을 받는다)의 포괄적 규제 조항을 정비하는 일이다. 이 조항 탓에 법인화 이후에도 학과 정원, 인사, 세부 예산 집행에 이르기까지 교육부의 개입이 이어지고 있으며, 국립대의 자율성을 포괄적으로 보장하는 독립 법률조차 부재한 실정이다. 임정묵 회장은 “수도권의 인프라와 강력한 동문 네트워크를 갖춘 서울대조차 상위법 규제에 묶여 수익 사업 하나 제대로 펼치지 못하는데, 재정 여건이 열악한 지역거점국립대에 무작정 법인화를 요구하는 것은 고등교육 포기 선언이나 다름없다”며 “교육부의 일방적 지도·감독권을 내려놓고 포괄적 블록재정과 교원 신분 보장, 실질적 자율성을 법제화하는 선결 조건이 반드시 충족돼야 한다”고 목소리를 높였다. 전문가들 역시 사립대 모방형 법인화 추진을 멈추고, 국립대학의 공공적 책무와 정부의 안정적 재정 지원 의무, 대학의 자율 운영권을 함께 명문화하는 ‘국립대학법(가칭)’ 제정이 우선이라고 강조한다. 정부가 쥔 사전 통제와 예산 쪼개기 감사를 내려놓고 대학에 권한과 책임을 동시에 부여하는 입법적 결단 없이는, 어떠한 거버넌스 개편도 ‘무늬만 자율’이라는 15년 전 서울대의 전철을 되풀이할 수밖에 없다는 지적이다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:52:20 -
Jang Han-byul Achieves Major Success with Sold-Out Concerts Singer Jang Han-byul has sold out all three shows of her first solo concert and continues to make waves by performing at local festivals.On October 17, she will perform as a guest artist at the 2nd Bonghwa Global Music Festival, held at Naeseongcheon in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province.This event is part of the 30th Bonghwa Songyi Festival, taking place from October 15 to 18. The music festival features multicultural families and foreign residents in Korea, with Jang Han-byul and singer Jeong Hye-rin set to perform.The Bonghwa Songyi Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this year under the theme '30 Years of Deep Aroma, Coloring Bonghwa!' It includes food and sales events featuring the region's specialty, the Songi mushroom, as well as various performances.On October 15, the opening ceremony featured performances by Baek Ji-young, Byeon Jin-seob, Kim Na-young, and Lil Boy, while Hong Jin-young and Nam Seung-min performed on October 16. The festival will conclude with performances by Jeon Yu-jin, Cheon Nok-dam, Haru, and Kim So-yeon on the final day, October 18. Admission to the festival is free.Jang Han-byul gained public recognition after finishing third in the MBN trot audition program 'Legend of the Unknown - The Ranking War of Trot Men.' A former member of the idol group Red Apple, she transitioned from pop and rock to trot, marking a significant turning point in her career.Since the broadcast, her fanbase has been rapidly growing. She is set to hold her debut solo concert 'THE STAR IS BORN' at Sejong University’s Daeyang Hall in Seoul on October 31. Initially scheduled for two performances, both sold out within two minutes of ticket sales opening, prompting an additional show on November 1 at fans' request.The extra performance also sold out in under a minute after tickets went on sale on October 6, bringing the total to three sold-out shows. A fan meeting held in July also sold out shortly after tickets became available.Jang Han-byul has also made her mark in online fan voting. From September 14 to 20, she ranked first in the 'Best Trot (Male)' category on the global fan voting platform 'K Top Star,' maintaining her position for 15 consecutive weeks.Her stage success continues as well. On October 5, she performed 'You Who I Met by Chance' with 'Legend of the Unknown' winner Seongri on KBS2's 'Immortal Songs - National Trot Festival Special,' winning the second part of the competition. The duo captivated the audience with their powerful high notes and performance.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:40:20
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Labor Committee Chair: Public Institution Relocations and Mergers Subject to Negotiation 박수근 중앙노동위원회 위원장이 공공기관 지방이전이나 통폐합 과정에서 배치전환·인력재배치 등 근로조건에 변동이 생길 경우 노란봉투법(개정 노동조합법)상 단체교섭 대상이 될 수 있다는 입장을 밝혔다. 박 위원장은 16일 국회 기후에너지환경노동위원회 국정감사에서 김위상 국민의힘 의원이 배치전환이나 인력재배치 등 근로조건 변동 없이 공공기관의 지방이전·통폐합을 결정할 수 있는지를 묻자 "어렵다. 안 된다고 봐야 한다"고 답했다. 이어 김 의원의 '근로조건의 대대적 변동이 뻔히 예상되는 공공기관 지방이전과 통폐합은 노조법상 교섭 대상이 맞느냐'는 질의에는 "제가 볼 때는 의원님이 파악한 게 맞다고 본다"고 말했다. 다만 공공기관 노동자의 사용자를 정부로 일률적으로 볼 수 있는지에 대해서는 선을 그었다. 박 위원장은 "사안에 따라서는 다를 수 있다"며 "노조법 2조와는 관련이 없다"고 했다. 박 위원장은 원청의 사용자성을 판단할 때 산업안전보건법이나 중대재해처벌법 등에 따른 의무 이행만으로 사용자성이 인정되는 것은 아니라는 입장도 밝혔다. 김소희 국민의힘 의원은 이날 국감에서 기업들이 사용자성 인정에 대한 부담으로 구내식당이나 통근버스 운영 등을 주저하고 있다며 산업안전보건법과 중대재해처벌법상 의무 이행 조치를 사용자성 판단 근거에서 제외할 필요가 있다는 취지로 질의했다. 이에 박 위원장은 "기업들이 잘못 생각하고 있는 것"이라며 공법상 의무 외에 다른 근거 등이 더해져 단체교섭 대상 여부를 판단하게 된다는 취지로 설명했다. 원청의 사용자성 판단과 관련한 사건에 대해서는 "선례도 없고 어려운 사건"이라며 초기 약 3개월 동안 자신과 상임위원들이 함께 사건을 맡아 판단의 틀을 잡으려 했다고 설명했다. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:40:00
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Justice Ministry Selects 98 New Prosecutors for 2027 Placement The Justice Ministry has selected 98 new prosecutors to be assigned to the prosecutor's office, which was established following the dissolution of the previous prosecutor's office.On October 16, the ministry officially announced the final successful candidates for the '2027 New Prosecutor Appointment Examination,' targeting law school graduates and military lawyers.The newly selected law school graduates must pass the 16th bar exam scheduled for January 2027 to finalize their appointments. The appointments are expected to occur in May for law school graduates and in August for military lawyers. After their appointments, they will undergo training at the Justice Training Institute before being assigned to local prosecutor's offices around October 2027. This group represents the first prosecutors appointed under the new criminal justice system reforms.However, despite the new appointments, the prosecutor's office is expected to continue facing staffing shortages. The office plans to operate at 80-85% of its authorized strength of 2,292 prosecutors due to vacancies caused by transfers to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, resignations, and departures of former judges.Currently, there are only 1,921 active prosecutors, and the actual number of working personnel is even lower when excluding those on leave or assigned to other government departments or special prosecutor teams.Since discussions on adjusting investigative powers began in 2019, the number of retiring prosecutors has exceeded 100 annually. The number of retirees was 145 in 2023, 132 in 2024, and 175 in 2025, with 110 reported by the end of September this year.As staffing gaps persist, the number of unresolved cases is also rising sharply. As of the end of September, there were 186,307 unresolved cases across local offices, an increase of over 20,000 cases in just one month, raising concerns about the workload on frontline staff.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:36:00
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Samsung Biologics Union Plans Rally on 21st, Strike from 26th The Samsung Biologics labor union is ramping up pressure ahead of its second planned strike at the end of this month by holding a rally at its workplace. Negotiations between labor and management over wages and personnel systems have stalled after three rounds of mediation, indicating a prolonged conflict. According to the Samsung Biologics Win-Win Labor Union, a rally is scheduled for noon on the 21st in front of Gate 1 at the Incheon Songdo facility, expecting around 2,000 participants. Following the rally, the union plans to initiate a three-week strike starting on the 26th. The core issues in the labor dispute are the proposed wage increase and performance bonus criteria. The company has suggested a 6.2% increase in base salary along with a one-time payment, while the union is demanding a 9.5% increase in base salary and a performance bonus equivalent to 15% of operating profit. Additionally, the union has included demands for improvements in personnel systems and increased transparency in management practices. The union claims it has refrained from collective action during the mediation period but asserts that the company has not made substantial proposals necessary for an agreement. The two sides held their first mediation meeting at the Incheon Regional Labor Relations Commission on September 8 and have sought common ground in three subsequent meetings, but have yet to reach a resolution. The conflict has been ongoing since spring. After negotiations broke down on March 23, the union conducted a partial strike in April and then initiated its first full strike from May 1 to May 5, marking the first such action in the company's history. Since then, the union has continued a legal strike by refusing overtime and holiday work. Unlike the first strike, which lasted five days, the upcoming second strike is planned for three weeks, raising concerns about the potential impact if the conflict continues. The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business for biopharmaceuticals operates on long-term supply contracts with clients, and industry analysts warn that a prolonged strike could affect production schedules, delivery timelines, new orders, and client trust. Samsung Biologics stated, "The company will continue to keep communication channels open with the union while ensuring stable operations and safety management during the rally and other collective actions."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:36:00
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Doosan Enerbility Appoints Song Yong-jin as New COO Doosan Enerbility announced the appointment of Song Yong-jin as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) on October 16.Song, who holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in metallurgical engineering from Seoul National University, joined Doosan Enerbility in 2008 as the head of the strategy team. He has since served as the head of the strategy and innovation division and the wind power business group, overseeing the company's growth strategies and sales activities.He is also a general member of the Korean Academy of Engineering and serves as the vice president of the Academic-Industry Cooperation Committee of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers. He received the Science and Technology Award on the 58th Science Day.This appointment aims to respond to changes in the global energy market and strengthen future growth drivers and business competitiveness. Under Song's leadership, Doosan Enerbility plans to enhance the competitiveness of its core businesses, including nuclear power, gas turbines, and offshore wind, while promoting innovation through artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:32:20
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Doosan Enerbility Promotes CFO Park Sang-hyun to Vice Chairman Doosan Enerbility announced that Park Sang-hyun, CEO and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has been promoted to Vice Chairman.Park graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in business administration and earned a master's degree in business administration from Duke University in the United States. He has held various positions, including Senior Vice President of Doosan Group's CFP team in 2008, head of financial management at Doosan Infracore in 2013, Vice President of Doosan Group in 2015, and CEO of Doosan Bobcat in 2018. He was appointed CEO of Doosan Enerbility in 2022.Doosan Enerbility stated, "This appointment was made to respond to changes in the global energy market and to strengthen future growth engines and business competitiveness."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:28:20
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Kim Min-cheol Promoted to Vice Chairman of Doosan Corporation Doosan Corporation announced that Kim Min-cheol, CEO and CFO, has been promoted to vice chairman on October 16.Kim has held various positions within the company, including Executive Vice President of the FA Team in 2006, Senior Vice President of Management Strategy in 2011, and Executive Vice President in 2018 before being appointed CEO in 2020. This promotion comes six years after his appointment as CEO. 2026-10-16 16:28:00
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National Assembly Questions Transparency in Seoul National University Admissions and Hospital Oversight The National Assembly's Education Committee focused on chronic administrative opacity and poor management systems during its audit of Seoul National University (SNU), national hospitals, and public universities in the Seoul metropolitan area. Lawmakers criticized the opaque admissions process at SNU's law school, allegations of cronyism in auditor appointments at SNU Hospital, and online exam cheating at Korea National Open University involving artificial intelligence.On October 16, the Education Committee conducted its 2026 audit of SNU, Incheon University, Korea National Open University, and six other public universities, as well as SNU Hospital and SNU Dental Hospital. University and hospital leaders, including SNU President Yoo Hong-rim and SNU Hospital Director Baek Nam-jong, attended the session, where lawmakers raised concerns about the transparency and public accountability of university and hospital operations.Seoul National University Law School's Admissions Process CriticizedThe first issue addressed was the lack of transparency in the admissions process at SNU's law school. Democratic Party lawmaker Baek Seung-ah pointed out that over 60% of admitted students each year are SNU alumni. She noted that while the school claims to conduct blind evaluations to prevent bias based on applicants' alma maters, the unique horizontal format of SNU's transcripts makes it easy to identify the school. "What kind of blind evaluation is this? It's time to change the transcript format immediately," she urged.Baek also highlighted that the qualitative evaluation, which accounts for 40% of the admissions process, lacks transparency. She stated that her request for average qualitative evaluation scores by applicant's alma mater has been denied for a year, citing concerns that it could discourage applicants due to "distorted information."In response, President Yoo stated that the format of transcripts is determined autonomously according to university regulations but assured that efforts would be made to ensure fairness and that the requested data would be re-requested from the law school.Concerns Over Auditor Appointment at SNU HospitalLawmakers also criticized the lax personnel practices and safety management at SNU Hospital. People Power Party lawmaker Seo Beom-soo raised concerns about the appointment process of Oh Jeong-hoon, the newly appointed auditor at SNU Hospital. He noted that the application consisted of only four pages, with the job performance plan and personal statement each being just one page long, containing vague statements like "I am honest and loyal and will not betray." Seo questioned whether such a lack of diligence in documentation indicated that Oh was appointed through cronyism.Seo demanded the submission of evaluation results for the candidates and their job performance plans from President Yoo, who also serves as the chair of the hospital's board.Allegations of covering up patient safety incidents were also raised. Lawmaker Kang Kyung-sook pointed out that after the introduction of physician assistants, the number of falls in the second quarter surged to 124, while the hospital reported only 17 incidents.Online Exam Cheating at Korea National Open UniversityReform Party lawmaker Lee Joo-young exposed serious cheating issues in the online degree program at Korea National Open University's Prime College. He stated that all midterm and final exams are conducted online, with no controls in place to prevent cheating using AI tools like ChatGPT. He noted that online communities openly share tips on how to use screenshots to cheat, leading to a dramatic increase in perfect scores from 60 to 189 in just one year.In response, Korea National Open University President Kim Jong-o stated that efforts are being made to implement technical measures, such as lockdown browsers, to maintain the integrity of online assessments.Additionally, concerns were raised about the exclusion of metropolitan national universities from a program aimed at fully subsidizing tuition for regional national universities. Lawmaker Jeong Seong-guk emphasized that the location of a university should not justify overlooking equity among national university students.In agreement, presidents of several universities, including Kim Dong-hwan of Seoul Tech University, Jang Shin-ho of Seoul National University of Education, and Kim Wang-jun of Kyongin National University of Education, stated that over 40% of their students come from non-metropolitan areas, arguing that excluding them based solely on location violates principles of fairness and called for reforms from the Ministry of Education.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:28:00
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National Assembly Debates President Lee's Trial Suspension Amid Controversy The ruling and opposition parties clashed on October 16 during a National Assembly Legislative Judiciary Committee hearing regarding President Lee Jae-myung's trial suspension and the controversy surrounding Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's rejection of Supreme Court justice recommendations.The People Power Party argued during the hearing, which focused on the Seoul High Court and the Seoul Central District Court, that the suspension of President Lee's election law trial and the Daejang-dong case constituted "dereliction of duty" by the judiciary.Representative Kim Tae-kyu stated, "There is no trial suspension system in our country, yet President Lee's election law case is on hold, citing 'estimated dates.' This is either dereliction of duty by the court or abuse of litigation authority."Representative Kwak Gyu-taek pointed out, "The Criminal Procedure Act specifies two reasons for suspending trial proceedings: when the defendant is mentally incapacitated or ill, and decisions must be made after consulting the prosecutor and defense attorney. However, there is no provision in the Criminal Procedure Act allowing an individual judge to decide to suspend the trial simply because the defendant is the president. This is a violation of the Criminal Procedure Act." He added that if a suspension is requested based on mental incapacity or illness, or under Article 84 of the Constitution, a constitutional petition should be filed stating, 'Since I became president, please suspend the trial.'In contrast, the Democratic Party rebutted that the suspension of the president's trial is a legitimate procedure under the Constitution and urged an end to what they termed as attempts to hinder the president.Representative Kim Han-kyu remarked, "According to Article 84 of the Constitution, unless the president has committed treason or insurrection, it is appropriate for the courts to refrain from prosecution and to suspend ongoing trials to allow the sitting president to fulfill their duties in the public interest." He suggested that the People Power Party would likely continue to advocate for the resumption of trials over the next five years, urging the courts not to be swayed by such political claims.Article 84 of the Constitution states that 'the president shall not be subject to criminal prosecution during their term, except in cases of treason or insurrection.'Democratic Party Representative Park Gyu-taek explained, "The Constitution prohibits prosecution against a sitting president. The Criminal Procedure Act interprets the concept of prosecution, stating that the filing of charges is considered prosecution, while the conduct of the case is termed as prosecution. This encompasses both the filing of charges and the trial process."Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo, who chairs the committee, stated, "Prosecution leads to trial, so the constitutional provision implies that everything is suspended. It would be best to clarify today that hindering the president while they are performing national duties is unacceptable."The parties also continued their tensions over Chief Justice Cho's rejection of Supreme Court justice recommendations. Democratic Party Representative Kim Dong-a pointed out, "When there are vacancies in the Supreme Court, it ultimately harms the public." Meanwhile, People Power Party Representative Yoon Sang-hyun questioned, "The Chief Justice stated that he could not find constitutional grounds or specific reasons for the recommendations, yet the Blue House claims that 'the president's appointment power is paramount, thus supporting the Chief Justice's recommendation authority.' Is this appropriate in a free democratic republic?"* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-10-16 16:24:00