Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho: "Room for Dispute in Park Sang-yong Disciplinary Case... Will Decide Strictly to Meet Public Expectations"

"Careful Review" of Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Two-Month Suspension Recommendation
Ministry of Justice and Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office to Conduct Parallel Investigations

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho has hinted at the possibility of imposing a higher level of disciplinary action than that recommended by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office against Prosecutor Park Sang-yong, who is facing a suspension request on charges including coercing confessions.

Justice Minister Sung-ho Cho is speaking after visiting the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

On May 15, after paying respects at the May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Gwangju together with acting Prosecutor General Koo Jahyun and other senior prosecution officials, Minister Jung commented on the direction of disciplinary measures for Prosecutor Park, saying, “The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office recommended a two-month suspension, but there is room for dispute,” and added, “We will carefully review the matter and decide in a way that meets public expectations.”

Prosecutor Park has been suspected of attempting to sway testimony by providing salmon and alcohol to former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young and former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Seong-tae while investigating the North Korea remittance case at Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in May 2023.

Previously, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office requested disciplinary action against Prosecutor Park based on the findings of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office Human Rights Infringement Task Force, confirming that he had inappropriately demanded confessions while referencing other investigations and failed to prepare confirmation documents during interrogations of detainees. However, regarding the so-called “salmon and alcohol party” allegations, while acknowledging inadequate management that allowed alcohol to be brought in, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office did not include this as a direct cause for disciplinary action.

Minister Jung explained, “Currently, the Ministry of Justice’s Inspector General’s Office is reviewing the records, and there is also an ongoing investigation at the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office where Prosecutor Park is currently assigned,” adding, “We are considering handling both matters together rather than separately.”

He further stated, “We are also reviewing, as part of the disciplinary deliberation process, instances where Prosecutor Park failed to properly respond to legitimate National Assembly investigations but appeared at opposition-led hearings or in the media to express political views.”

Within the legal community, there is speculation that, under the recently amended Prosecutors’ Disciplinary Act—granting the Justice Minister direct authority to request disciplinary deliberation—the severity of the disciplinary action could be raised, potentially to dismissal or a similar severe measure, depending on the results of further investigations by the Ministry of Justice.

On the same day, Minister Jung also mentioned plans to establish a “Prosecution Human Rights Future Committee,” underscoring his commitment to prosecution reform. He emphasized, “There are suspicions that some politically motivated prosecutors have oppressed the human rights of the public by succumbing to power and distorting politically sensitive cases,” and added, “The purpose is to review cases distorted by political motives in the past and move forward into the future.”

Regarding his future after the June 3 local elections, he responded, “I will follow the will of the President,” and added, “I will do my utmost as long as I am in the ministerial post.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.