The Supreme Court’s website (www.scourt.go.kr) promotes court activities and provides court case information through four main sections: Introduction to the Judiciary, the Supreme Court, Courts of Each Instances, and Public Services. Approximately 100,000 users visit the site daily.

The Supreme Court website and the websites of courts at each level offer services such as introductions, major rulings, and public notices. In particular, the Public Services section functions as a primary channel of communication with the public and provides a wide range of services, including case searches, access to judgments, comprehensive legal information, public notices, and information requests. These services are organized under six categories: News, Judgments, Notices, Information, Public Participation, and Resources. To ensure broad accessibility, the website has been enhanced to accommodate users with visual or hearing impairments, as well as marginalized groups who may face barriers to information. As part of these public service efforts, a separate website for children has been created to introduce them to the work of the courts, types of trials, and procedures. Through fun quizzes and illustrations, this site makes the courts’ often intimidating image more approachable. The websites for the various courts provide similar services, and additional websites have also been established, including an English-language version for foreigners and a website for a court visitation center, among others.

The Self-Represented Litigation website (https://ecfs.scourt.go.kr/) further extends these public services by assisting individuals who are preparing to file lawsuits without the assistance of a legal representative or judicial scrivener. The site provides detailed information on trial procedures, how to respond to opposing parties’ claims or legal actions, and the forms required to proceed with a lawsuit. Users can download electronic forms (e-forms) to prepare legal documents more easily. Information entered into these forms can then be reused by the court, enhancing efficiency in case processing. Currently, the site supports various claims commonly filed in civil cases, including loan, sales payment, lease deposit, contract payment, wages, transferred payment, goods payment, construction payment, promissory note claims, damages, check claims, and building recovery claims.

The Court Auction website (www.courtauction.go.kr) provides information on auction procedures conducted at auction courts nationwide. Visitors can search for auction cases at the national level based on auction date, address, and item category, and can also access a range of legal information related to auctions.

Through the newly introduced internet map-based service, users can easily view auctioned properties along with photos and addresses. In addition, various auction-related statistics are available. Citizens interested in participating in auctions can consult this website for detailed information and attend auction procedures at the court on the scheduled auction date.

The Comprehensive Legal Information System (CLIS) (https://portal.scourt.go.kr/) is an online search platform accessible to both court users and the general public. The platform allows users to quickly and accurately access Supreme Court and lower court precedents, legislation of the Republic of Korea, Supreme Court rules, internal regulations, and legal literature. The system is based on an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) database, enabling data sharing with the Ministry of Government Legislation and the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. Its intelligent search engine allows users to conveniently search for up-to-date legal information.

Currently, the system includes approximately 80,000 Supreme Court precedents, 60,000 lower court decisions, and 5,000 Constitutional Court rulings. It also provides free access to all laws of the Republic of Korea, including the Constitution, statutes, treaties, and enforcement decrees, to both internal and external court users.

The main features of CLIS include hyperlinks that interconnect precedents, legislation, and legal literature, as well as a legal thesaurus and autocomplete search function. These features make it easier for the general public or users unfamiliar with legal terminology to find the information they need.

Anyone wishing to access judgments may either visit a court of any level in person or apply for access through the court’s official website. The Supreme Court has developed an internal Judgment Management System to store and preserve judgments for all cases nationwide. Based on this system, a Judgment Access System has been implemented to make judgments available to the public.

To protect the privacy of the parties involved, personal information in judgments is anonymized before publication. In accordance with amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act and Civil Procedure Act, judgments in criminal cases finalized after January 1, 2013, and in civil, administrative, and intellectual property cases finalized after January 1, 2015, or decided after January 1, 2023, are made publicly available online. The public can search and view finalized judgments through the online system without applying for access. In all such cases, judgments are published only after personal information has been anonymized. If a case is deemed inappropriate for public disclosure, the court may decide not to release the judgment.

Following the nationwide computerization of all registry offices and the implementation of the real property registration system in 2002, individuals have been able to obtain real estate registration certificates electronically from the registry offices and the registration divisions of courts across the country. The Registration System was later expanded to include legal entity registration, registration of security over movable property and receivables, and other registry types.

At the same time, automated self-service machines were installed in courts, registry offices nationwide, and some local government buildings, allowing the public to obtain necessary documents without assistance from court officials. Internet-based registration services were introduced between 2003 and 2007, enabling users to access registry records online from home without visiting courts or government agencies. These developments significantly improved service efficiency while reducing social and economic costs.

Following the launch of online registry applications in 2006, real property and legal entity registration could be filed online. This service was later expanded to include the registration of security over movable property and receivables.

As part of ongoing improvements, mobile services were introduced in 2012, allowing users to check real property and legal entity registration records on their mobile devices. Between 2018 and 2019, all registration certificates were changed from a horizontal to a vertical layout to enhance consistency with other documents and improve user convenience. In 2023, the system was further enhanced to allow electronic registration certificates in PDF format to be issued and submitted to recipient authorities via an electronic document wallet through a mobile application.

Since 2020, registration information previously organized by location and lot number has been converted into titleholder-based data, resulting in the launch of the “Titleholder-Based Registration Information Service.” These ongoing reforms continue to improve the convenience and accessibility of registration services.

To further enhance the use of registration data, the Registration Information Square (“the Square”) was launched using big data analysis techniques. The Square extracts and analyzes complex registration information, including real estate, legal entities, ships, standing timber, movable property and receivables, and fixed dates, to meet user needs and generate new value. The data are delivered in various formats, such as tables, charts, and visualizations, to support government policymaking, promote related industries, and help prevent erroneous registrations.

In addition, the Square offers an Open API service providing data applications, user-oriented datasets, customized registration information, and up-to-date registration statistics. Since August 19, 2022, it has also provided actual condominium transaction price data at the time of registration, enabling the public to track actual prices and market trends.

In response to increasing social demand, the Family Relations Registration System was introduced in January 2008 to replace the traditional patriarchal family system known as the hojuje. Unlike the previous family registry system, which indicated the personal information of all family members, the new system organizes family relationship records into five distinct types of certificates - the family relations certificates, basic certificates, and marriage certificates. Individuals are able to obtain only the documents they need, thereby minimizing unnecessary disclosure of personal information.

To enhance the management of family-related tasks, a new Family Relations Registration System has been introduced to replace the outdated family register system. This reform has resulted in the computerization of family registration services, significantly improving efficiency. Public officials at family relations registration offices across the country now use this system to handle matters related to births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and other family registration events. Additionally, the system enables officials to issue family registration certificates regardless of their jurisdiction.

As of March 2024, approximately 85 million family registration certificates are issued each year. These certificates can be conveniently obtained through around 4,500 computerized certificate issuance machines installed at public offices and other public locations nationwide.

The Electronic Family Relations Registration System website (http://efamily.scourt.go.kr) allows individuals to easily obtain family relations registration certificates and certified copies of the family register. This online service became available in 2013. Since January 15, 2018, the service has been expanded to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As a result, citizens, including those living abroad, can access these certificates anytime and from anywhere, greatly enhancing public convenience and significantly reducing social costs.

Individuals, along with their spouses and direct blood relatives within one generation, can obtain family relationship certificates, marriage certificates, and basic certificates free of charge, as long as identity verification can be completed. Additionally, the system enables online registration for six types of family relations, including notifications for births and name changes. This allows individuals to manage their family registration matters without the need to visit government offices.

As of March 2024, approximately 40 million family relationship registration certificates are issued online each year through the Electronic Family Relations Registration System, which accounts for about 48 percent of all certificates issued. This highlights the significant public use and acceptance of the system.

The electronic deposit website (http://ekt.scourt.go.kr) offers a comprehensive range of information related to deposits. This includes an overview of the deposit system, deposit procedures, relevant laws, various application forms, and a function to search for deposit cases. The electronic deposit system has been in operation since December 17, 2012. Through this system, users can submit deposit applications, request withdrawals, and file claims to recover deposits (limited to cases involving amounts of less than 50 million won). Additionally, users can view documents and verify relevant information, all conveniently online.

The “Hidden Deposit Fund Search - Searching Inherited Deposits” service has been available since March 31, 2023. This service enables the spouse or children of a deceased depositor to access the deceased's deposit records by authenticating with a public certificate. For monetary deposits, the deposit holder or depositor may request release or recovery of the deposit. If no claim is made within ten years, the deposit is forfeited to the national treasury. The system also offers a query service for deposits subject to forfeiture and provides clear guidance on the documents and procedures required to claim a deposit.

In addition, Article 5-2 of the revised Deposit Act, effective December 9, 2022, introduces special provisions for criminal deposits. This allows a defendant to deposit funds for a victim whose personal information cannot be disclosed.