According to legal sources on May 11, the ACRC questioned Judge Ji as a suspect on May 7 regarding charges of bribery and violations of anti-corruption laws. This marks the first time Judge Ji has faced questioning since the ACRC initiated a forced investigation six months ago in November of last year.
Judge Ji made headlines in March 2023 when he ruled that the detention period for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was arrested on charges of insurrection and abuse of authority, should be calculated based on time rather than date, leading to significant criticism from opposition parties.
In May of the same year, the Democratic Party released a photo allegedly showing Judge Ji seated with two companions at a bar in Gangnam, which was said to be a room salon where female employees provide entertainment. This revelation sparked controversy.
During the trial of former President Yoon for insurrection, Judge Ji denied all allegations, stating, "The claims made are not true, and I have never considered being entertained. Above all, that era is over. No one even buys you pork belly and soju anymore." However, civic groups, including Candlelight Action, filed complaints against Judge Ji for bribery and violations of anti-corruption laws.
The ACRC assigned the case to its investigation division, led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan, and obtained a search warrant from the court in November to seize Judge Ji's taxi app usage records, initiating a forced investigation.
The Supreme Court's Ethics Office also began an investigation into the allegations but concluded in September that "it is difficult to recognize a connection to his duties."
Judge Ji, who presided over the first trial of former President Yoon's insurrection case and sentenced him to life imprisonment in February, has since been reassigned to the civil division at the Seoul Northern District Court.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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