PCIO Raids Sitting Senior Judge over Alleged Bribery

Received Bribes Worth 3.7 Million Won from Local Attorney

The Public Corruption Investigation Office at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province.

The Public Corruption Investigation Office (PCIO) has detected allegations of bribery involving a sitting senior judge and has launched a compulsory investigation.

On September 26, the Second Investigation Division of the PCIO, led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Suhwan, sent prosecutors and investigators to conduct a search and seizure at the residence and office of Senior Judge A of the Jeonju District Court. A search and seizure was also conducted against Attorney B, who is suspected of providing bribes to Judge A.

Senior Judge A is suspected of receiving bribes totaling approximately 3.7 million won, including 3 million won in cash, a gold ring for his son's first birthday, and perfume for his spouse, from Attorney B, the head of a local law firm. These allegations fall under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery, etc.).

There are also suspicions that Judge A received free use of a building owned by a company in which Attorney B and others are shareholders, for the purpose of operating a private academy. The North Jeolla Provincial Police Agency, which received a related complaint on charges of bribery and violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, transferred the case to the PCIO in May, stating that sitting judges fall under the jurisdiction of the PCIO by law. The complainant claimed that Senior Judge A and Attorney B are high school alumni and that Attorney B's cases are handled by the Jeonju District Court, establishing a work-related connection.