High-Stakes Legal Drama: South Korean Judge Faces Arrest Over Bribery Allegations

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A sitting chief judge, who has had an arrest warrant sought on allegations that he accepted money from an attorney in exchange for favorable rulings, has pushed back against the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), accusing the office of distorting evidence. The CIO flatly rejected that charge, saying such claims obscure the heart of the case.

On the 20th, the CIO said in a press release that the investigation was conducted lawfully and in accordance with proper procedures. It said the suspect’s allegations of “illegal investigative tactics” or “evidence distortion” attack the legitimacy of the probe rather than addressing the substance of the allegations.

The office said the evidence and related materials were gathered objectively and legally based on multiple warrants issued by the court. It emphasized that the application for an arrest warrant was not based on mere suspicion but on sufficient evidence and a comprehensive assessment of the alleged crime and its seriousness.

The CIO added that it will fully present the relevant evidence and legal arguments at the forthcoming detention hearing and expects the court’s ruling to validate the investigation’s justification. It reiterated that the probe is being conducted strictly in accordance with law and principle.

Earlier, the defense attorney for Chief Judge Kim, who is under investigation by the CIO, issued a statement expressing deep regret. The defense said the CIO had conducted excessive, unlawful investigative tactics and distorted evidence to construct the charges that led to the arrest-warrant application.

The defense also said it will cooperate fully during the upcoming warrant hearing and provide the bench with detailed explanations as needed.

The CIO alleges that Judge Kim, who served at the Jeonju District Court, received several tens of millions of KRW (approximately $15,000–$67,500) in benefits from Attorney Jeong, a high school classmate — including the free use of space for his wife’s violin studio — and it has sought arrest warrants for both individuals.

Judge Kim maintains that his spouse taught violin to the couple’s son and received lesson fees, and that those payments were unrelated to his judicial duties.

The Seoul Central District Court has scheduled Judge Kim’s warrant hearing for 3 p.m. on the 23rd. A decision on detention could come as early as that same afternoon.