▲ Prosecutor Park Sang-yong
The Ministry of Justice is holding an inspection committee meeting to deliberate on disciplinary action against Prosecutor Park Sang-yong of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, who investigated the Ssangbangwool Group's unauthorized remittances to North Korea.
The Ministry of Justice is scheduled to hold the inspection committee meeting regarding Prosecutor Park at 2:00 p.m. today (August 13) to discuss whether to impose disciplinary measures.
Prosecutor Park plans to attend the committee meeting on this day to present his explanation.
The subjects of deliberation by the inspection committee include the alleged misconduct specified when the Supreme Prosecutors' Office inspection committee requested a heavy disciplinary penalty of a two-month suspension last May. These allegations involve Prosecutor Park asking the defense counsel for former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young to secure a confession by mentioning an investigation into a separate case during the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance probe, failing to prepare an investigation process confirmation document, and providing external food and meeting conveniences.
In addition, the deliberation targets include the fact that Prosecutor Park posted on Facebook during working hours and attended a hearing held solely by the People Power Party on uncovering the truth about the Democratic Party's withdrawal of indictment and trial manipulation without submitting a written report.
Previously, the Ministry of Justice ordered an inspection regarding Prosecutor Park's attendance and remarks at the People Power Party hearing, and the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office concluded its inspection after questioning Prosecutor Park on July 13 last year.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is reportedly recently requested additional disciplinary action from the Ministry of Justice.
The allegations surrounding the so-called "salmon and alcohol party" were not included in the subjects for disciplinary deliberation.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office previously stated that it did not request disciplinary action regarding the failure to prevent alcohol from being brought in and provided due to lax management and the unnecessary repeated summoning of a reference witness, out of respect for the resolution results of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office inspection committee.
The Ministry of Justice inspection committee consists of 7 to 13 members, including one chairperson and one vice-chairperson.
If a majority of the inspection committee members attend and a majority of the attending members vote in favor, they can recommend necessary measures to Minister of Justice Chung Sung-ho.
Since the Minister of Justice can also request disciplinary action pursuant to the Prosecutor Disciplinary Act, the Minister may refer to the results of the Ministry of Justice inspection committee to newly request disciplinary action.
Subsequently, the Prosecutor Disciplinary Committee, chaired by the Minister of Justice, will determine the final level of disciplinary action against Prosecutor Park.
There are five types of disciplinary actions for prosecutors: dismissal, removal from office, suspension, pay reduction, and reprimand, with suspension or higher generally classified as heavy disciplinary action.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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