Court dismisses hostess bar allegations against judge as 'abstract'
Presiding Judge Jee Kui-youn speaks at the Seoul Central District Court to order reporters to leave the courtroom as ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol attends the second hearing of a trial over insurrection charges in connection with his declaration of martial law, April 21. Yonhap
A Seoul court on Thursday dismissed as "abstract" allegations that one of its judges was treated to multiple visits to an expensive hostess bar.
The Seoul Central District Court released the statement a day after Rep. Kim Yong-min of the liberal Democratic Party disclosed during a parliamentary session what he said was a "detailed tip-off" that judge Jee Kui-youn visited a hostess bar multiple times without once paying the cost of 1 million won ($716) to 2 million won per person.
"The allegations in question are not only abstract, but no detailed material was presented and the veracity of the allegations was not confirmed," the court said in a statement to the press. "There is nothing the Central District Court can say regarding this."
Jee is the presiding judge for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's trial on insurrection charges related to his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.
He was also the judge responsible for canceling Yoon's arrest over the martial law bid in March.
During the parliamentary session Wednesday, Rep. Kim said Jee's alleged visits to the bar appeared to be a violation of anti-graft laws and called for his removal from the trial.