Park Jiwon on Two-Year Prison Sentence Request: "Why Not 20 Years? Having Soju-Beer and Going Home"

Park Jiwon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the National Assembly Intelligence Committee's audit of the National Intelligence Service held at the National Intelligence Service in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul on November 4, 2025, and is conversing with Kim Heesu, Director of Planning and Coordination at the National Intelligence Service. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Park Jiwon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed anger after prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence in connection with the West Sea shooting incident.

On the 5th, Park wrote on his Facebook, "Why only two years? Why not request 20 years?" He continued, "During my final statement, I poured out my emotions for an hour. Out of my 40 years in politics, I spent 25 years in Seocho-dong," adding, "Even when I was sentenced to 20 years during the special investigation on remittances to North Korea, and when I was acquitted in the first trial for allegedly receiving 30 million won from Bohae Savings Bank, I received a suspended two-year sentence in the second trial under the direction of Woo Byung-woo, Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs. Former President Lee Myung-bak instructed the Supreme Court to strip me of my parliamentary seat by upholding the appeal, but Supreme Court Justice Park Byung-dae, who was head of the court administration, rejected it, and I was acquitted."

Park stated, "Justice Park Byung-dae is my benefactor, and I will not reveal the name of the High Court chief judge who followed Woo Byung-woo's instructions." He added, "Park Jiwon, 30 million won, National Intelligence Service deletion order? It hurts my pride." He went on to say, "During the National Intelligence Service audit, it was confirmed that there was no such order and that the document in question remains at the NIS as is. I passionately argued that the Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution fabricated the case," adding, "25 years as a Seocho-dong client! After having boiled pork and soju-beer at 'XXX,' I'm heading home. The Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution-your destination is hell."

On the same day, the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ji Gui-yeon) held the final hearing for Suh Hoon, former Director of National Security at the Blue House; Park Jiwon, former Director of the National Intelligence Service; Suh Wook, former Minister of National Defense; Kim Honghee, former Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard; and Noh Eun-chae, former Chief of Staff to the Director of the National Intelligence Service. Prosecutors requested prison sentences for all of them. They requested three years in prison for former Director Suh, two years in prison and a two-year suspension of qualifications for former Director Park, and three years in prison for former Minister Suh Wook. The court has scheduled the sentencing for 2 p.m. on the 26th of next month.