The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) sought an arrest warrant for a sitting presiding judge on charges of taking bribes from a lawyer.
The CIO's Second Investigation Division (headed by Senior Prosecutor Kim Su-hwan) said on the 19th that it sought an arrest warrant on the 18th for a person surnamed Kim (44), a presiding judge, on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (bribe taking).
The CIO also sought a warrant for a person surnamed Jeong (48), a lawyer, on charges of offering bribes, alleging the lawyer provided money and valuables to Presiding Judge Kim.
The CIO believes Presiding Judge Kim received cash and other valuables worth tens of millions of won from Lawyer Jeong and reduced the sentence in the appellate trial of a case handled by Jeong.
Presiding Judge Kim and Lawyer Jeong are high school alumni, and they are known to have become acquainted when Presiding Judge Kim was assigned to a district court.