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Presiding judge in Yoon insurrection trial known for no-holds-barred style, sharp legal mind

Published: 19 Feb. 2026, 16:10

Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon speaks during the second hearing in the criminal trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection on April 21, 2025, at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul. [NEWS1]

Ji Gwi-yeon, the presiding judge of the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25 handling former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s case on charges of being an insurrection ringleader, may have drawn attention for his blunt remarks during the proceedings, but people inside and outside the court describe him as an elite judge.

The panel, which has held trials three to four times a week since taking up the insurrection case in earnest in December 2024, will deliver its decision at 3 p.m. Thursday after about 14 months of hearings.

Ji, a Seoul native, graduated from Gaepo High School and Seoul National University School of Law before passing the bar examination in 1999. He began his judicial career in 2005 at the Incheon District Court and later served at the Jangheung Branch of the Gwangju District Court and the Suwon District Court, among other posts.

Ji also worked for six years, over two separate terms, as a research judge at the Supreme Court, a position regarded as one of the judiciary’s key assignments.

He has presided over Criminal Division 25 since February 2023. With his three-year term at the court nearing completion, he is set to move to the Seoul Northern District Court next Monday as part of the regular judicial reshuffle.

Ji has handled other high-profile criminal cases as well. In September 2024, he sentenced actor Yoo Ah-in, whose legal name is Uhm Hong-sik, to one year in prison and a 2 million won ($1,400) fine for alleged violations, including the Narcotics Control Act, and took him into custody in court.

In February 2024, he found Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong not guilty in a case tied to alleged improper involvement in the merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries.

Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon, center, along with panel judges Kim Ui-dam, left, and Yoo Young-sang, enters Courtroom 417 at the Seoul Central District Court on the morning of April 21, 2025, in Seocho District, southern Seoul, for former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s trial on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection. [NEWS1]

In December 2025, he acquitted former defense minister Seo Wook and former National Intelligence Service director Park Jie-won in a case over the killing of a South Korean public official in the Yellow Sea.

In March 2025, he granted Yoon’s request to cancel his detention, drawing criticism from the ruling camp. The panel cited legal disputes over whether the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) had jurisdiction to investigate allegations of the insurrection.

In April 2026, the liberal Democratic Party raised allegations that Ji received “entertainment” at a hostess bar, putting him under renewed scrutiny.

One of the most talked-about aspects of the insurrection trial has been Ji’s no-holds-barred courtroom style. Over roughly 14 months, his occasional jokes prompted praise from some for bringing flexibility to an otherwise solemn criminal courtroom, while others derided the proceedings as a “variety show trial.”

One oft-cited example came during the sentencing hearing for former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun on Jan. 9, when defense attorney Lee Ha-sang said he needed time because he had not prepared printed materials, prompting a shouting match over whether the hearing should proceed.

A hush falls over the Seoul Central District Court on Feb. 18 in Seocho District, southern Seoul, one day before the court is set to deliver its first-instance verdict in the case against former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection tied to the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. [NEWS1]

“The difference between professionals and amateurs is not whining,” said Ji. “If you are not prepared, you should politely ask for understanding.”

When the defense protested at times during the trial, he also apologized without hesitation. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault for not running the trial properly,” he said.

In another moment that drew attention, he rebuked Lee for trying to stop prosecutors from speaking. “How can people who stop others from speaking talk about democracy and liberalism?” Ji asked.

When one of Yoon’s attorneys said the number of witnesses meant the trial would take about three years, Ji responded with a quip.

“Later, please write something for the media,” said Ji. “That I finished a trial that should have taken three years in one.”

“He is one of the judges the court regards as strong on legal reasoning,” said a lawyer who previously served as a presiding judge. “He is outgoing and well-liked inside the judiciary, and while no one has pointed to political leanings, people say he hands down heavy sentences once he finds a defendant guilty.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI SEO-IN [[email protected]]