A current chief prosecutor who caused controversy by sending text messages hinting at running for the general election during Chuseok to people in his hometown explained during an internal investigation that the messages were "greetings unrelated to politics." However, right after the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Committee judged that the matter did not warrant disciplinary action, the chief prosecutor submitted his resignation letter and once again expressed his intention to run for the general election, raising suspicions that he made a "false explanation" initially to avoid punishment.
According to the legal community on the 31st, Prosecutor Kim Sang-min of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 35) accepted a light disciplinary action of a warning from the chief prosecutor after the so-called "holiday text message controversy," which is believed to have been influenced by his "false explanation."
Kim, who was the head of the 9th Criminal Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, sent text messages this September to people from his hometown Changwon, including phrases such as "I am a Changwon person to the bone" and "I will bring great hope and goals to the local community," which became known during the October National Assembly inspection.
When the controversy arose, Kim reportedly explained during the fact-finding investigation that the messages were "greetings without political meaning and unrelated to the general election."
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Committee also considered this explanation and reportedly recommended a relatively light disciplinary action, judging that it was not a matter warranting a disciplinary request.
However, on the 28th, the day the Inspection Committee's resolution was made, Kim submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Justice and announced through the media his intention to prepare for a run in his hometown, Changwon, Gyeongnam.
The next morning, he posted on his Facebook, "It is a difficult path, but the decision was easy. Looking back on the past time, I am once again confident in my decision," and mentioned holding a book launch event on the 6th of next month, which he later deleted.
Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok reportedly became very angry upon receiving this report and ordered additional inspection regarding the book launch event. He also considered that stricter measures than a warning from the chief prosecutor were necessary for the holiday text messages and decided to actively review filing a disciplinary request with the Ministry of Justice.
Kim stated, "When the fact-finding investigation regarding the text message issue was formally converted into an inspection at the end of November, I decided to leave the organization," and added, "In early October, I had no political intentions nor any intention to resign, so it is not true that the explanation I submitted in early October was false."
He continued, "Preparations for the book launch event and so on were carried out in earnest from mid-December, and I expressed my intention to resign in early December," adding, "I tried to submit my resignation as early as possible, but I heard that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Committee was scheduled and that my resignation would not be accepted, so I waited."
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