[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-gi] Members of the Minjung Party held a protest in front of the courthouse demanding the replacement of Judge Oh Deok-sik, the presiding judge in the case of Lee (16), nicknamed 'Taepyeongyang,' an accomplice of Jo Joo-bin (24), the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' case.
Five Minjung Party members and YouTubers staged a sit-in protest at around 10:10 a.m. on the 30th in the lobby on the first floor of the Seoul Seocho District Court Complex, shouting slogans such as "Replace Judge Oh Deok-sik." The court reported the protesters, who had gathered suddenly, to the police.
A police official explained, "They came to submit a petition requesting the replacement of the judge handling Lee's case, held a press conference, and made statements. Since their actions did not constitute criminal offenses such as obstruction of business or violence, they were not arrested on the spot." Judge Oh Deok-sik has been criticized for his lenient rulings in past sexual crime cases.
On the Blue House's national petition board, more than 400,000 people agreed to a petition requesting the exclusion of Judge Oh Deok-sik from the Nth Room case trial. Previously, in 2018, Judge Oh presided over the first trial of Choi Jong-beom, who was charged with illegal filming, assault, and threats against the late singer Goo Hara, and acquitted him of the illegal filming charge, drawing criticism for lacking gender sensitivity.
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