(1) Judicial power shall be vested in courts composed of judges.
(2) The courts shall be composed of the Supreme Court, which is the highest court of the state, and other courts at specified levels.
(3) Qualifications for judges shall be determined by Act.

(1) Departments may be established in the Supreme Court.
(2) There shall be Supreme Court Justices at the Supreme Court：Provided, That judges other than Supreme Court Justices may be assigned to the Supreme Court under the conditions as prescribed by Act.
(3) The organization of the Supreme Court and lower courts shall be determined by Act.

Judges shall rule independently according to their conscience and in conformity with the Constitution and laws.

(1) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the National Assembly.
(2) The Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Justice and with the consent of the National Assembly.
(3) Judges other than the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the Chief Justice with the consent of the Conference of Supreme Court Justices.

(1) The term of office of the Chief Justice shall be six years and he/she shall not be reappointed.
(2) The term of office of the Justices of the Supreme Court shall be six years and they may be reappointed as prescribed by Act.
(3) The term of office of judges other than the Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court shall be ten years, and they may be reappointed under the conditions as prescribed by Act.
(4) The retirement age of judges shall be determined by Act.

(1) No judge shall be removed from office except by impeachment or a sentence of imprisonment without prison labor or heavier punishment, nor shall he/she be suspended from office, have his/her salary reduced or suffer any other unfavorable treatment except by disciplinary action.
(2) In the event a judge is unable to discharge his/her official duties because of serious mental or physical impairment, he/she may be retired from office under the conditions as prescribed by Act.

(1) When the constitutionality of a law is at issue in a trial, the court shall request a decision of the Constitutional Court, and shall judge according to the decision thereof.
(2) The Supreme Court shall have the power to make a final review of the constitutionality or legality of administrative decrees, regulations or actions, when their constitutionality or legality is at issue in a trial.
(3) Administrative appeals may be conducted as a procedure prior to a judicial trial. The procedure of administrative appeals shall be determined by Act and shall be in conformity with the principles of judicial procedures.

The Supreme Court may establish, within the scope of Act, regulations pertaining to judicial proceedings and internal discipline and regulations on administrative matters of the court.

Trials and decisions of the courts shall be open to the public：Provided, That when there is a danger that such trials may undermine the national security or disturb public safety and order, or be harmful to public morals, trials may be closed to the public by court decision.

(1) Courts-martial may be established as special courts to exercise jurisdiction over military trials.
(2) The Supreme Court shall have the final appellate jurisdiction over courts-martial.
(3) The organization and authority of courts-martial, and the qualifications of their judges shall be determined by Act.
(4) Military trials under an extraordinary martial law may not be appealed in case of crimes of soldiers and employees of the military；military espionage；and crimes as defined by Act in regard to sentinels, sentry posts, supply of harmful foods and beverages, and prisoners of war, except in the case of a death sentence.