Protests against court rulings have become a common sight outside courts at all levels. The photo shows members of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union holding a press conference in front of the Supreme Court in Seocho District, Seoul, on April 21 to condemn a ruling that they say unjustly narrowed the scope of illegal dispatch. [YONHAP]
Public distrust in Korea’s criminal justice system has deepened sharply, according to the latest findings from the Korea Legislation Research Institute, a government-funded think tank under the prime minister's office. The institute has conducted a nationwide survey on public legal awareness every two years since 1991. Its 2025 report, based on a survey of 3,400 households conducted between July and September last year and released on Law Day, April 25, shows a notable decline in confidence in investigations and trials over the past two years.
The most striking shift concerns perceptions of fairness. The share of respondents who said the law is enforced fairly fell from 52.9 percent in 2023 to 41.1 percent in 2025. Similarly, those who believed all citizens receive fair trials declined from 70.6 percent to 62.2 percent. These figures suggest that public trust in both law enforcement and judicial proceedings has weakened considerably.
Distrust is also evident in views on criminal justice procedures. The proportion of respondents who agreed that criminals receive appropriate punishment dropped from 66.7 percent to 54.9 percent. Confidence in the fairness of detention decisions, including whether suspects are investigated in custody or without detention, declined from 58.3 percent to 41.5 percent. Complaints about delays in handling criminal cases have also grown. The share of respondents who viewed the processing of criminal cases as prompt and efficient fell from 64.0 percent to 52.1 percent, reflecting dissatisfaction following the redistribution of investigative authority between police and prosecutors since 2021.
Some political actors have cited such findings to justify further prosecutorial reforms. However, interpreting the results solely in that direction risks oversimplification. The survey also found that only 37.1 percent of respondents believe the National Assembly adequately reflects public opinion in its legislative deliberations, down from 54.3 percent in 2023. This suggests that the legislature itself faces a credibility challenge.
Meanwhile, structural changes to the prosecutorial system, including plans to abolish the prosecution service under revisions to the Government Organization Act, have added to uncertainty. Confusion at the operational level has not been fully resolved. Delays in case handling by both police and prosecutors have fueled dissatisfaction among those involved, while pressure on judges over trial outcomes has intensified, sometimes extending to personal attacks. Such developments were rarely seen in the past.
The decline in public trust over the past two years should not be taken lightly. A functioning justice system requires that offenders be punished according to the law and that victims receive timely remedies. The growing perception that this is not the case signals a serious warning. Policymakers should recognize the urgency of the issue and consider measures, including revisions to the Criminal Procedure Act, to restore confidence in the system.
‘국민 법의식 조사’에 반영된 형사사법 불신
국무총리 산하 경제인문사회연구회 소속 국책연구원인 한국법제연구원은 1991년부터 2년마다 ‘국민 법의식’을 조사해 오고 있다. 이 연구원이 지난해 7~9월 전국 3400가구를 대상으로 조사해 법의 날(4월 25일)에 보도된 ‘2025년 국민 법의식 실태조사’를 보면 수사·재판 등 형사사법 전반에 대한 국민의 불신이 최근 2년 동안 크게 높아졌다.
법의 공정성에 대한 불신이 가장 눈에 띄었다. ‘법이 공정하게 집행되느냐’는 질문에 ‘그렇다’는 응답이 2023년 52.9%에서 2025년엔 41.1%로 폭락했다. ‘모든 국민이 공정한 재판을 받느냐’는 질문에도 긍정 응답은 70.6%에서 2년 사이 62.2%로 급락했다. 공정한 법 집행과 공정한 재판에 대한 신뢰가 그만큼 흔들린다는 의미다.
형사사법 절차에 대한 팽배한 불신도 확인됐다. ‘범죄자가 합당한 법의 심판을 받는다’고 긍정한 비율은 66.7%에서 54.9%로 떨어졌다. ‘구속·불구속 수사 기준이 공평하다’는 응답은 58.3%에서 41.5%로 낮아졌다.
특히 2021년부터 검경수사권 조정으로 형사사건 처리가 지연된다는 불만을 반영하듯 ‘형사사건의 신속·효율 처리’에 긍정한 응답자는 64%에서 52.1%로 줄었다.
민주당이 이런 조사 결과를 검찰 개혁과 위헌적 ‘사법 3법’을 강행해야 할 근거라고 주장한다면 아전인수다. 이번 조사에서 ‘국회의 법률안 심의에 국민 의견을 잘 반영한다’는 질문에 긍정 응답은 겨우 37.1%(2023년엔 54.3%)였으니 오히려 입법부의 각성이 필요하다.
정부조직법 개정으로 검찰청 폐지 방침이 확정된 상태다. 형사사법 현장의 혼란은 해소되지 않고 있다. 경찰과 검찰의 사건 처리가 대폭 지연되면서 이해당사자들의 불만이 커지고 있는가 하면, 재판 결과나 과정을 놓고 판사를 압박하고 심지어 인신공격까지 하는 일도 일어났다. 과거엔 없던 일이다.
형사사법에 대한 국민 신뢰가 2년 동안 큰 폭으로 떨어졌다는 조사를 결코 가볍게 받아들이면 안 된다. 범죄자가 법에 따라 처벌받고 피해자가 신속히 구제받아야 사법정의가 구현되는 사회인데, 그렇지 않다고 여기는 국민이 늘어났다. 중대한 위기 신호로 인식하고 형사소송법 개정 등 대책을 강구해야 마땅하다.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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