Judge, lawyer indicted on charges of bribery related to trials

judge-indictment

Judge, lawyer indicted on charges of bribery related to trials

SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- A senior judge, suspected of issuing preferential rulings in exchange for bribes from a lawyer he knew, has been referred to trial, the state anti-corruption investigation office said Wednesday.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said it has indicted the senior judge, known only as Kim, and a lawyer surnamed Jeong, who was his senior from the same high school, without detention on bribery charges.

Kim is accused of accepting 33 million won (US$22,650) in cash and economic benefits in exchange for ruling in favor of defendants in cases handled by Jeong while serving as the presiding judge at the Jeonju District Court's appellate division from 2023 to 2025.

Kim allegedly reduced the sentences in 17 of 21 appellate cases handled by Jeong's law firm, according to the CIO. In one instance, a defendant involved in operating an illegal sports gambling site had their sentence reduced from imprisonment to a suspended sentence.

The judge is suspected of leasing a commercial property used for his spouse's violin lesson for one year free of charge and having the lawyer pay for its soundproofing facilities. The CIO also suspects that Kim received a gift box of nuts containing 3 million won in cash from Jeong.

The CIO applied for arrest warrants for the two in March but a court rejected them, stating that there was insufficient evidence to support the charges.

A senior judge, surnamed Kim, attends his arrest warrant hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on March 23, 2026. (Yonhap)