Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Sang-yong of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office appeared before the Ministry of Justice's inspectorate committee on the 13th to be reviewed on whether he will face discipline.
Meeting reporters as he entered the Ministry of Justice at the Government Complex Gwacheon at about 1:45 p.m. that day, Park said, "As a prosecutor of the Republic of Korea, I will appear and explain in full whenever any state institution calls me, and I will do everything I can in line with my duty under any circumstances."
The Ministry of Justice's inspectorate notified Park on the 10th to appear. Park requested a postponement, saying he lacked time to prepare, but it was not accepted, and he arrived alone that day without an attorney.
Park said, "I was not even notified what content would be reviewed," adding, "The timeline was so tight that I had to come alone without an attorney." He added, "I was not questioned on important parts of the disciplinary matters, and when I tried to review the records, all my requests for inspection or copying and for information disclosure were dismissed."
Regarding the Ministry of Justice's recent additional appointment of inspectorate members, Park said, "It is similar to a player replacing a referee or a prosecutor replacing a judge in a trial," adding, "It is highly inappropriate."
In April, the Ministry of Justice suspended Park from duty, citing breaches of official duty and remarks and actions raising doubts about investigative fairness during the probe into the SSANGBANGWOOL remittances-to-North-Korea case. The initial two-month suspension was later extended "until further notice." The Supreme Prosecutors' Office, after inspectorate committee deliberation on the 5th, asked the Ministry of Justice to impose a two-month suspension, a heavy disciplinary measure, on Park.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office suspects that while investigating the SSANGBANGWOOL remittances-to-North-Korea case, Park asked for a confession from the defense for former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young by mentioning another case, and that he did not prepare a process-verification statement during the questioning of an inmate. The so-called "salmon drinking party," however, was not included as a ground for discipline.
In addition, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office is said to have requested further discipline over Park's attendance, without a written report, at the People Power Party's National Assembly hearing titled "Fact-finding hearing on the Democratic Party's withdrawal of indictments and trial manipulation," and over his posting on Facebook during working hours.
The inspectorate is to deliberate that day on the need for discipline and its appropriate level and issue a recommendation. Afterward, the prosecutors' disciplinary committee, chaired by the Minister of Justice, will decide the final level of discipline. Disciplinary measures for prosecutors include dismissal, removal from office, suspension, pay cut, and reprimand. Suspension or higher is generally classified as heavy discipline.