The Supreme Prosecutors' Office has requested that the Ministry of Justice take disciplinary action against Prosecutor Park Sang-yong, who faced allegations of coercing testimony during the "salmon and liquor party" incident in the investigation into Ssangbangwool's remittances to North Korea.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Wednesday afternoon that it had requested disciplinary action from the Ministry of Justice after the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office's Human Rights Violations Inspection Task Force confirmed procedural violations of relevant regulations during the North Korea remittance investigation. Regarding Prosecutor Park's misconduct, the office cited unfairly demanding a confession through defense counsel while referencing other investigations, failing to prepare an investigation process confirmation form despite summoning an inmate for questioning, and providing food or visitation conveniences without legitimate grounds.
However, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said that, respecting the resolution of the Disciplinary Committee, it decided not to seek disciplinary action for failing to prevent alcohol from being brought in and provided due to lax management, and for repeatedly summoning unnecessary witnesses. The decision not to pursue discipline is understood to reflect consideration that Prosecutor Park was unaware that alcohol had been brought into the interrogation room.
Park, who appeared before the Disciplinary Committee the previous day, reportedly defended himself against the allegations under review, stating that "a substantial portion of the grounds for disciplinary action has not been substantiated" and that "even if substantiated, these are matters for which disciplinary action has never been taken."
Park has faced allegations that in May 2023, he summoned former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young and former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Seong-tae, provided them with salmon sashimi and alcohol, and pressured them to give testimony suggesting that President Lee Jae-myung had been involved in the North Korea remittance process.
