As Son Byung-ho, who stood at the pinnacle of power, faced the threat of arrest, Park Hee-soon seized the opportunity to rise as the new master of the 'shadow government.'
In the 12th episode of the MBC Friday-Saturday drama 'Judge Lee Han-young' aired on the 7th, Judge Lee Han-young (played by Ji Sung) collaborates with opposition lawmaker Kwak Sang-cheol (played by Lee Jong-hyuk) to expose the corruption of the Advanced Hope Foundation, pushing former President Park Kwang-to (played by Son Byung-ho) to the brink.
When the accounting books obtained by Song Na-yeon (played by Baek Jin-hee) revealed suspicions of a borrowed-name account and speculation in the new city, Park Kwang-to faced the humiliation of being summoned by the prosecution as a suspect. Even in the interrogation room, he maintained his composure until it was revealed that he was the actual owner of the borrowed-name account, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant. At that moment, Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon), whom he desperately sought, intentionally cut off contact, signaling a shift in power.
Kang Shin-jin took advantage of Park Kwang-to's absence to rise to the position of Chief of the Court Administration and completely took control of Suo-jae. He sat in Park Kwang-to's exclusive seat and formalized a generational change by placing his people in key positions. Watching this, Lee Han-young smiled coldly, predicting that as Kang Shin-jin's power grew, the conflict with Park Kwang-to would intensify, ultimately leading to the destruction of both villains.
Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Lee Han-young delivered a brutal punishment to Jang Tae-sik (played by Kim Beop-rae). Lee Han-young rejected the temptation of a large bribe and sentenced Jang Tae-sik to 20 years in prison, a fine of 20 billion won, and a confiscation of 1.7 trillion won. Jang Tae-sik's evil deeds, which included an attempt to murder prosecutor Kim Jin-ah (played by Won Jin-ah) just before his arrest, were exposed to the public along with the release of the recording, leading to his downfall.
At the end of the broadcast, Park Kwang-to returned, and in the reconvened Suo-jae meeting, a twist unfolded as Lee Han-young proposed a toast. In the midst of a solid cartel, viewers are at the peak of anticipation for how Lee Han-young will cut off their breath with meticulous calculations, foreshadowing a greater war.
