Ministry of Justice Inspection Committee Recommends Dismissal of Prosecutor Kim Sang-min Running for General Election While in Office

Prosecutor Park Daebeom Recommends Disciplinary Action for 'Prosecutor General Warning'

The Ministry of Justice Inspection Committee has recommended the highest level of disciplinary action, dismissal, against Kim Sang-min, a current prosecutor at the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, who announced his intention to run in the general election.

According to the legal community on the 30th, the Ministry of Justice Inspection Committee, composed of external members and others, recently held a meeting to discuss the disciplinary levels for Prosecutor Kim and Prosecutor Park Dae-beom of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office. It is reported that the committee recommended dismissal for Prosecutor Kim and a warning from the Prosecutor General for Prosecutor Park.

Prosecutor disciplinary actions are divided into five levels: reprimand, salary reduction, suspension, dismissal from office, and dismissal. If a judge or prosecutor is dismissed, they cannot become a lawyer for three years.

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok had earlier, on the 12th, requested a severe disciplinary action of suspension against Prosecutor Kim for violating the obligation of political neutrality, but the Inspection Committee judged that dismissal, two levels higher, was necessary. However, for Prosecutor Park, a disciplinary action lower than the suspension requested by the Prosecutor General was recommended.

The final decision on whether to discipline the two individuals and the level of discipline will be made later by the Disciplinary Committee for Prosecutors, chaired by the Minister of Justice.

Prosecutor Kim was embroiled in controversy for violating the obligation of political neutrality by sending text messages suggesting his intention to run in the general election to local residents while serving as head of the 9th Criminal Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office during Chuseok last September.

Although Prosecutor Kim explained that it was not for political purposes, he submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Justice on the 28th of last month, when the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Committee decided to issue a warning to the chief prosecutor, and announced his intention to run in his hometown, Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province. On the 6th of this month, Prosecutor Kim held a book launch event at Changwon University, and on the 9th, he registered as a preliminary candidate for Uichang, Changwon, under the People Power Party. Prosecutor Park is suspected of having inappropriate contact with outsiders related to his general election candidacy.