The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission has charged Judge Ji Gwi-yeon of the Seoul Northern District Court with violating the Anti-Corruption Act in connection with allegations of accepting bribes related to room salon entertainment.
On September 4, Lee Dae-hwan, a senior prosecutor at the commission, announced that Judge Ji has been indicted without detention on charges of violating the Anti-Corruption Act.
According to the commission, Judge Ji is accused of visiting a reservation-only bar in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, in August 2013 with two lawyer friends, where they consumed alcohol and had the friends pay a total of 4.09 million won (approximately $3,000). The commission determined that Judge Ji's share of the bill amounted to 1.36 million won (about $1,000).
The Anti-Corruption Act stipulates that public officials who receive gifts or entertainment exceeding 1 million won from a single source are subject to punishment, regardless of the relevance to their duties or any expectation of reciprocity.
Previously, Judge Ji presided over the first trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in a case related to insurrection while working at the Seoul Central District Court last year. During a review of Yoon's detention, Judge Ji calculated the detention period in hours rather than days, leading to Yoon's release. The then-opposition Democratic Party criticized Judge Ji harshly, and in May of the same year, allegations of her involvement in room salon entertainment surfaced, accompanied by related photographs.
Civic groups filed a complaint against Judge Ji for violating the Anti-Corruption Act. The commission launched an investigation, confirming payment records from the bar and taxi usage by Judge Ji that matched the timeline of the visit.
Subsequently, the commission obtained financial transaction records from witnesses and conducted interviews based on the gathered evidence, leading to the decision to indict Judge Ji.
While the commission investigated potential quid pro quo arrangements between Judge Ji and the lawyers, it concluded that mere speculation was insufficient to establish a bribery relationship, resulting in no charges for bribery under the Anti-Corruption Act.
Prosecutor Lee stated, "We will continue to rigorously investigate corruption cases involving high-ranking officials to uphold public integrity."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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