Ministry of Justice Holds Disciplinary Committee for Prosecutors Who Walked Out of Lee Hwa-young Trial

[Anchor]

The Ministry of Justice held a disciplinary committee meeting today (October 21) regarding the prosecutors who walked out en masse during the trial of former Gyeonggi Provincial Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young over allegations of perjury related to the alleged drinking party incident. Let us connect with the reporter at the scene.

Reporter Kim Deok-hyeon, has the result of the disciplinary committee been released?

[Reporter]

The Ministry of Justice convened the prosecutor disciplinary committee starting at 2:00 PM, but the results have not yet been released.

Kim Hyun-woo and Seo Hyun-wook, former heads of Criminal Division 6 at the Suwon District Office who face disciplinary action, stated upon attending the committee that they would explain the unfairness of the disciplinary measures.

[Kim Hyun-woo / Senior Prosecutor at the Changwon High Prosecutors' Office (Former Head of Criminal Division 6, Suwon District Office) : I will faithfully explain that I was faithful to my duties as a prosecutor...]

[Seo Hyun-wook / Senior Prosecutor at the Changwon Branch of the Busan High Prosecutors' Office (Former Head of Criminal Division 6, Suwon District Office) : I think it is a matter of common sense. I will explain well and come out.]

This disciplinary review stems from the trial regarding former Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young's perjury case in November of last year.

At that time, four trial prosecutors walked out en masse after a large number of prosecution witnesses were dismissed, stating it was "unfair trial direction" and expressing their intent to file a motion to recuse the panel of judges.

The grounds for discipline raised against former Division Head Kim include suspending the trial through a motion to recuse without sufficient review and failing to report in advance to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, while former Division Head Seo faces disciplinary grounds for proposing the recusal motion while involved in the trial after a personnel transfer.

[Anchor]

How will the procedures proceed from here?

[Reporter]

Last April, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office concluded that it was difficult to discipline the two prosecutors.

However, following a separate inspection by the Ministry of Justice, the disciplinary action of reprimand was requested under the authority of then Minister of Justice Jeong Sung-ho.

Six members, including Vice Minister Lee Jin-soo who is currently acting in the role, attended today's review. If a reprimand against the two prosecutors is approved by a majority vote, the head of their respective prosecutors' office will execute the disciplinary action.

However, if the two individuals file an administrative lawsuit to appeal, the court will review whether the decision was appropriate even if the disciplinary action is approved.

(Photo: Yonhap News / Video by Park Hyun-cheol / Video Editing by Kim Yun-seong)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.