Three South Korean Supreme Court justices were officially sworn in on Thursday following the legislative endorsement a day ago.

With the appointment by President Lee Myung-bak earlier in the day, the three -- director of National Court Administration Ko Young-han, Ulsan District Court chief Kim Shin and head of the Supreme Court Library Kim Chang-suk -- will now sit on the bench.

The fourth nominee, Kim Byung-wha, had withdrawn his candidacy last week as opposition lawmakers criticized the head of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office for an apparent conservative bias.

The posts were vacated after four justices retired last month following their six-year stint.