Choo Mi-ae Revisits Workplace with Late Prosecutor Kim Hong-young's Parents

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae visited the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office together with the parents of the late Prosecutor Kim Hong-young, who took an extreme step after suffering from verbal abuse by a superior.

At around 10:45 a.m. on the 8th, Minister Choo appeared at the Southern District Prosecutors' Office building and visited the memorial stone and commemorative tree planted in front of the building along with Kim's parents.

The memorial stone next to the yew tree planted in memory of Prosecutor Kim bears the inscription, "We will remember so that your sacrifice will not be in vain." Minister Choo held a moment of silence at the site. She then hung a memorial plaque on the first floor of the building with Kim's parents and visited the third-floor office where Kim worked to console the parents and promise to prevent recurrence.

Prosecutor Kim took his own life at the age of 33 in May 2016 while working in the Criminal Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, leaving a note expressing stress and pressure from his duties. Subsequent investigation by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office revealed that his superior, Chief Prosecutor Kim Dae-hyun (27th class), had subjected him to habitual verbal abuse and physical assault for two years, leading the Ministry of Justice to dismiss Chief Prosecutor Kim.

The bereaved family of Prosecutor Kim applied for the convening of the Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee on the 14th of last month to urge an investigation into Chief Prosecutor Kim, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Citizens' Committee approved this at the sub-committee. The Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee, which reviews the appropriateness of investigation and prosecution, will be held on the 16th.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the memorial ceremony was held as Minister Choo fulfilled a request from Prosecutor Kim's father, who wished for former Minister Cho Kuk to leave a trace of his son's work.

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