As of April 20, 2023, the Korean courts have conducted 10,000 virtual hearings since the expanded implementation of virtual hearings in the judiciary on November 18, 2021. The aim was to overcome the challenges of holding in-person pleadings during the pandemic and to ensure the court guaranteed the citizens’ right to trial in a timely manner.

Virtual hearings continued to increase since the full implementation on November 18, 2021. A monthly breakdown indicates the increasing trend: 18 cases in November 2021, 411 cases in March 2022, 549 cases in August 2022, 850 cases in December 2022, and 1,445 cases in March 2023, representing a 350% year-on-year increase.

The virtual hearing service allows litigants to save time and cost without coming to court, expediting the trial processes by reducing unnecessary delays.

The Courts of Korea will continue to examine and improve the virtual trial system and increase its publicity to meet the expectations and support of the public to ensure the right to trial through credible and expeditious court proceedings.