Law school in South Korea

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Traditionally, Korean legal education followed the German and Japanese models. Recent reforms
are shifting professional education from an undergraduate LL.B. to a J.D. type of education. In
addition, many Korean universities continue to offer legal education in academic and scholastic
frameworks, offering graduate degrees, including Ph.D.s in Law. In addition, several universities
focus on legal systems outside of Korea, such as on Common Law.
Contents
[hide]
1 Admission
2 Law School System in Transition
3 Republic of Korea Law Schools
o 3.1 Law School enrollment by area
4 Common Law Education
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Admission[edit]
Since the implementation of the 2007 Act calling for reform in legal education, law schools in Korea
became graduate schools (similar to the US system) and require a bachelor's degree, a satisfactory
undergraduate grade point average, foreign language proficiency, and a satisfactory score on
the Legal Education Eligibility Test (LEET) in order to be considered for admission (the LEET is
modeled after Law School Admission Test (LSAT) in the US). Additional factors are evaluated
through essays, interviews, school administered essay exams, and other application materials.
Law School System in Transition[edit]
In South Korea, a law school is an undergraduate institution where students major in law and are
awarded a Lgum Baccalaureus, or LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws). Following graduation, candidates
must take and pass the bar exam. Under the present judiciary exam (as of 2008), the number of new
lawyers admitted each year is limited to 1,000. Successful candidates must then complete the
mandatory 2 years of training courses at the Judicial Research & Training Institute (JRTI) in order
to join the bar in Korea. The JRTI is managed by the Supreme Court.
However, as a result of a bill passed in July 2007, the education system for legal studies will soon
undergo significant changes. The 2007 Act calls for the adoption of a separate law school system
similar to that of the United States, with the new graduate-level law schools expected to open by
2009. Only a limited number of universities will be permitted to establish such graduate-level law
schools, as determined by the relevant government agency after its review of each university's
submitted materials. In February 2008, the Education Ministry released a final selection of 25
universities approved for the new graduate-level law schools (15 in the Seoul metropolitan area and
10 in the provinces). The selection process itself has not been without controversy; upon release of
the final list, some of the excluded universities threatened to sue for an injunction or stage protest
rallies, and one university president threatened to resign.
Under the new system, those who have bachelor's degrees can apply for law schools which have
three-year programs and the graduates can then take the bar exam; those who achieve a certain
score (or above) will be licensed. In addition, based on an October 2007 revised plan submitted by
Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, the law school admission is limited to
2,000 candidates.
The bar passage rate in South Korea is 75%

Republic of Korea Law Schools[edit]
Universities with their government approved annual enrollment of students:
[1]

In February 2008, the Education Ministry released a final selection of 25 universities approved for
the new graduate-level (J.D.-style) law schools. Total enrollment in all law schools is limited to 2,000
students per year.
Law school with government approved annual enrollment of 150 students
Seoul National University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 120 students
Jeonnam National University
Korea University Law School
Kyungpook National University
Pusan National University
Sungkyunkwan Law School
Yonsei University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 100 students
Chungnam National University
Hanyang University Law School
Ewha Woman's University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 80 students
Chonbuk National University
Dong-A University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 70 students
Chungbuk National University
Yeungnam University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 60 students
Kyunghee University
Wonkwang University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 50 students
University of Seoul
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Ajou University
Chung-Ang University
Inha University
Law schools with government approved annual enrollment of 40 students
Kangwon National University
Jeju National University
Sogang University
Konkuk University
Law School enrollment by area[edit]
Law Schools in Seoul area - total enrollment 1140
Seoul National (150), Korea / Sungkyunkwan / Yonsei (120), Hanyang / Ewha (100), Kyunghee (60),
Seoul City / Ajou / Inha / Choong-ang / HUFS / Kangwon / Kunkuk / Sogang (40)
Law Schools outside of Seoul area - total enrollment 860
Pusan National / Kyungpook National / Jeonnam National (120), Chungnam National (100),
Chunbuk National, Donga (80), Chungbook National, Youngnam (70), Wonkwang (60), Jeju (40)
Common Law Education[edit]
Several universities have added undergraduate or postgraduate programs in Common Law. Those
schools not only teach common law, but also teach most or all of their classes in English. Handong
Global University offers a three year postgraduate degree that parallels an A.B.A.-style J.D.
educational program. Soongsil University offers an undergraduate LL.B. that parallels common law
educations in English speaking countries. Both schools have strong moot teams that compete
internationally.
See also[edit]
Legal Education Eligibility Test
References[edit]
1. Jump up^ Financial News Feb.4,2008 25 law school confirmed (in Korean)
External links[edit]
Law Schools under the new "Law School" system
Seoul National University Law School
Yonsei Law School
Pusan National University School of Law
Jeju National University Law School
Colleges of Law offering English language educations in common law
Handong International Law School
Soongsil's Global Law LL.B., in Korean
Soongsil's Global Law LL.B., in English