"Prosecutors' Walkout at Lee Hwayeong Trial": Kim Hyunwoo Gets Warning Without Formal Discipline, Seo Hyunuk Cleared

Kim Hyunwoo's misconduct recognized; commendations and other factors considered mitigating
Seo Hyunuk's level of involvement in recusal motion also considered

Two prosecutors who faced disciplinary proceedings over a walkout by prosecutors during the trial of Lee Hwayeong, former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province for Peace, received different decisions: one was given a warning without formal disciplinary action, while the other was cleared of wrongdoing.

The Ministry of Justice said on October 27 that its Prosecutors Disciplinary Committee had reached the decisions after reviewing the cases of Kim Hyunwoo, senior prosecutor at the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, and Seo Hyunuk, senior prosecutor at the Changwon Branch of the Busan High Prosecutors' Office, at a meeting on October 21.

Kim Hyunwoo, senior prosecutor at the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office. Yonhap News.

The committee found that Kim, who was then head of the Criminal Division 6 at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, had committed misconduct. However, it decided to issue a warning without formal disciplinary action, considering his record of commendations and other mitigating factors. Regarding Seo, the former head of Criminal Division 6, the committee found it difficult to establish grounds for discipline after considering the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office's decision-making process on its motion to recuse the trial panel and the extent of Seo's involvement.

The disciplinary cases stemmed from the trial of Lee, who was charged with violating the Act on Testimony and Appraisal Before the National Assembly. The trial was held on November 25, 2025, before the 11th Criminal Division of the Suwon District Court. At the time, four prosecutors from the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office filed a motion to recuse the trial panel, accusing it of unfairly managing the proceedings after it rejected most of the prosecution's requests to call witnesses, and then walked out of the courtroom together.

In April 2026, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Committee found it difficult to establish grounds for discipline. However, following a separate inspection, the Ministry of Justice sought reprimands against Kim and Seo in August 2026. Two deputy chief prosecutors who were part of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office leadership at the time received warnings from the minister.

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