According to data submitted to the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee by Representative Song Seok Joon of the People Power Party on the 22nd, as of June 30, 7,283 civil cases were being reviewed by the Supreme Court. Of these, 3,830 cases (52%) were filed by one individual named Jeong. If we narrow it down to unresolved cases within the last two years, Jeong’s lawsuits make up 92% (3,829 out of 4,154) of all civil cases.
Jeong has been filing countless lawsuits since 2016, targeting judges, court officials, insurance companies, and more. It is reported that he often avoids paying the required court fees and delivery charges. When his cases are dismissed, he appeals and requests retrials, leading to a large number of cases.
From 2019 to June 2024, Jeong filed 37,425 lawsuits with the Supreme Court, 15,937 with the Seoul High Court, and 14,328 with the Seoul Central District Court.
This has caused concerns about wasted administrative resources and distorted court statistics. The average time for handling civil cases in the first half of this year was 13.9 months, compared to 8 months in 2021, 11.7 months in 2022, and 7.9 months last year, making it seem like delays are worsening.
However, if Jeong’s cases are excluded, the average time to process cases this year is only 4.2 months, showing an improvement compared to previous years (4.7 months in 2021, 4.9 months in 2022, and 4.4 months last year).
Although a revision to the Civil Procedure Act in October 2023 allows courts to fine individuals up to 5 million KRW (about $3,800) or suspend filings for abusing the legal system, it is still seen as limited in addressing the problem.
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