The Ministry of Justice inspection committee that will review disciplinary action against Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Sang-yong of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, who investigated the "SSANGBANGWOOL illegal remittance to North Korea case," will meet on the 13th. Park asked to postpone the committee meeting, saying he needed time to prepare.
According to legal sources on the 10th, the Ministry of Justice inspection committee meeting on the 13th will review issues raised during the investigation into the SSANGBANGWOOL remittances to North Korea case, Park's posting on Facebook during work hours, and his attendance at a People Power Party-hosted hearing without submitting a written report.
Earlier, the People Power Party separately held the "hearing to uncover the truth about the Democratic Party's withdrawal of indictment and trial manipulation" on Apr. 7, when the National Assembly was holding a special committee inquiry into the "Yoon Suk-yeol administration political prosecution fabricated indictment allegations," led by the Democratic Party of Korea. Park reportedly gave an oral, not written, report and attended the hearing.
The Ministry of Justice ordered an inspection over the matter. The Incheon District Prosecutors' Office summoned Park for questioning on the 13th of last month, and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office is said to have recently requested additional disciplinary action from the Ministry of Justice.
Previously, on May 12, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, after an inspection committee review, asked the Ministry of Justice to impose a two-month suspension, a heavy disciplinary measure, on Park. Grounds cited include Park asking for a confession from a lawyer for former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young by mentioning another investigation, and providing outside food and visitation conveniences. The "salmon drinking party" allegation was not included in the disciplinary scope.
Park wrote on Facebook that day, "I was just notified by the Ministry of Justice to appear before the inspection committee three days from now," adding, "The preparation time is absolutely insufficient. I request a one-week postponement."
Park said, "I was not even questioned about the 'salmon drinking party.' I have never been questioned even once about the main disciplinary ground, the 'Seo Min-seok recording,'" adding, "Now they are trying to discipline me for that, unilaterally notifying me three days in advance and telling me to submit my opinion." He added, "If they are trying to strip me of my position as a prosecutor and still say they cannot even give me time to organize my opinion, that is not the procedure of a law-governed state."
The Ministry of Justice inspection committee consists of no fewer than seven and no more than 13 members, including one Chairperson and one Vice Chairperson. If a majority of Commissioners are present and a majority of those present approve, the committee may recommend necessary measures to the Minister of Justice.
Only the prosecutor general had authority to request disciplinary action against rank-and-file prosecutors, but an amendment in June 2025 granted that authority to the Minister of Justice as well. The Ministry of Justice is expected to have the Minister newly request disciplinary action, taking into account the inspection committee's findings. The final disciplinary level is then decided by the prosecutors' disciplinary committee, chaired by the Minister of Justice.
Disciplinary measures for prosecutors are five types: dismissal, removal from office, suspension, pay reduction, and reprimand.