South Korea · Courts
Court structure of South Korea
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Constitutional — Constitutional Court of Korea
- Nine justices; sits outside the ordinary hierarchy and is not an appeal court.
- Final appellate — Supreme Court of Korea
- Fourteen justices; final appeals in civil, criminal and administrative matters.
- Appellate — High Courts
- Six regional high courts hearing appeals from district courts.
- First instance — District Courts
- General civil and criminal jurisdiction, with branch courts and municipal courts below.
- Specialist — Patent Court, Family Court, Administrative Court
- The Patent Court sits at appellate level for intellectual property.
Every court in the hierarchy
- constitutionalSeoulConstitutional Court of KoreaConstitutional review of statutes on referral from the courts, adjudication of impeachment, dissolution of political parties, competence disputes between state organs, and individual constitutional complaints.
- supremeSeoulSupreme Court of KoreaFinal appeals in civil, criminal, administrative, family and military matters, and review of the legality of subordinate legislation and administrative action.
- appellateSeoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, SuwonHigh CourtsAppeals from district courts and family courts, and first-instance jurisdiction over certain administrative cases.
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