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(Translator’s note: Judge Ji Guyoun is in charge of the martial law-related trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was impeached. Ji released Yoon—who had been detained—through a rare legal interpretation based on “time calculation,” and has drawn controversy for switching the sedition trial to a closed-door proceeding, raising suspicions of favoritism.) New link(in Korean) http://m.gobalnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=36326 (Photo in the link) ▲ Presiding Judge Ji Guyoun is seen greeting at the second criminal trial hearing on sedition charges held on the 21st of last month at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul. The Democratic Party of Korea has urged the judiciary to swiftly remove Judge Ji Guyoun from the case and conduct a thorough investigation into the “sex entertainment” scandal. They warned that if the judiciary hesitates, the party may proceed with additional measures, including public disclosure of the photo. Spokesperson Noh Jong-myeon of the Democratic Party’s election committee stated in a written briefing on the 14th, “In the photo provided by the whistleblower, Judge Ji’s face is clearly visible. We have confirmed that the location is a high-end sex entertainment venue in Gangnam, Seoul.” Noh continued, “According to the tip, the cost of the entertainment was not paid by Judge Ji but by someone accompanying him. At this particular venue, a small group of three to four people can easily rack up a bill of 4 to 5 million won (approx. $3,000–$3,800 USD). This not only violates Supreme Court ethics regulations, but it may also be illegal.” He urged the Seoul Central District Court to “immediately remove Judge Ji Guyoun from all trial duties,” adding, “We cannot entrust a trial that holds the fate of South Korean democracy to a judge embroiled in such immoral and possibly illegal behavior.” Noh went on to criticize, “Can anyone truly believe that the suspicious decisions—such as releasing Yoon Suk-yeol, shielding him from media exposure, and insisting on a closed-door trial—have nothing to do with Judge Ji’s vulnerabilities? If sedition forces are exploiting those weaknesses to influence the trial, who will bear the responsibility?” He added, “Leaving these suspicions unaddressed will only fuel conspiracy theories. This is not just any judge—he is presiding over a sedition trial. For the credibility of the judiciary and the legitimacy of the verdict, Judge Ji must step down from this case.” ▲ A photo related to the “room salon entertainment” allegations involving Judge Ji Guyoun, released by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Ki-pyo during a National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee session on the 14th. 김미란 기자 (Reporter Miran Kim, balnews21@gmail.com) submitted by /u/AdBeginning2190 |
Judge Ji Guyoun’s face clearly visible in the whistleblower’s photo. The location is a high-end escort bar in Gangnam, Seoul.
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