Judge submits response to hostess bar allegations to Supreme Court

Judge Jee Kui-youn of the Seoul Central District Court has submitted a statement to the Supreme Court explaining his position on allegations he was treated to multiple visits to an expensive hostess bar, legal sources said Friday.

Jee, the presiding judge for former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection trial, has been accused by the liberal Democratic Party (DP) of visiting the hostess bar in Seoul’s affluent district of Gangnam without paying the cost of 1 million won (US$718) to 2 million won per person.

Jee responded to the allegations in the statement and provided supporting evidence, according to the sources. In particular, he denied the validity of a photo disclosed by the DP earlier this week, claiming the two people pictured with him were friends, not fellow recipients of the alleged treats.

The Supreme Court’s ethical inspection bureau has been looking into the allegations since they were raised by the DP last week, including by conducting on-site surveys of the bar and questioning the people involved.

Jee publicly addressed the allegations for the first time Monday, saying during Yoon’s trial that he had never considered being treated at such places and his typical meal consists of “samgyeopsal” and soju, a reference to the Korean pork belly and rice wine that symbolize the food of commoners.

Jee was the judge responsible for canceling Yoon’s arrest in March.

The DP has called for removing him from Yoon’s trial.