A sitting senior judge who received golf trip expenses worth 3 million won from a duty-free shop official was suspended for three months.
According to the official gazette on the 24th, the Supreme Court on the 13th handed Judge Kim In-taek of the Suwon District Court a three-month suspension and imposed an additional disciplinary fine of 3.47 million won.
As grounds for discipline, it was specified that Judge Kim received from an acquaintance, A, a Head of Team at HDC Holdings Co. Shilla Duty Free, round-trip airfare and lodging for golf trips totaling 3.47 million won on three occasions—in Oct. 2024, Feb.–Mar. 2025, and May 2025.
It also said that, despite knowing A was on trial, Kim maintained an improper personal relationship by accompanying A on six overseas trips from July 2023 to May 2025, adding, "Damaged the dignity required of a judge and undermined the court's authority."
Judge Kim and Head of Team A were summarily indicted in Feb. on charges of violating the anti-graft law and received summary orders of a 5 million won fine and a 3 million won fine, respectively. Judge Kim requested a formal trial.
In Feb., while serving at the Changwon District Court, Judge Kim acquitted political broker Myeong Tae-gyun and former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-seon in the first trial of a case involving alleged violations of the Political Funds Act. Kim found Myeong guilty of evidence-concealment instigation and sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for one year.