Ministry of Justice Requests Disciplinary Action from Supreme Prosecutors' Office for All Three Prosecutors Involved in Lime Alcohol Entertainment Case

Former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun, who exposed that he provided entertainment and hospitality to prosecutors in connection with the 'Lime Asset Management (Lime) scandal'
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The Ministry of Justice has requested the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to discipline three prosecutors who were allegedly entertained with alcohol by former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bonghyun.

On the 31st, the Ministry of Justice's Inspection Office confirmed through a direct investigation into the 'Lime Scandal-related Prosecutors' Alcohol Entertainment Allegation Case' that three prosecutors attended a drinking party at a nightlife establishment, and on the same day requested the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to discipline the three prosecutors.

Under the Prosecutors' Disciplinary Act, the authority to request disciplinary action against prosecutors lies with the Prosecutor General, and severe disciplinary measures include salary reduction, suspension, dismissal, and removal. Once Kim Osu, the nominee for Prosecutor General, is appointed, it is expected that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will hold an inspection committee meeting to review the level of discipline and request disciplinary action from the Ministry of Justice.

The prosecutors targeted for discipline are suspected of having been entertained with alcohol by former Chairman Kim, a key figure in the Lime scandal, at a nightlife establishment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in July 2019. This was directly revealed by former Chairman Kim in October last year.

Subsequently, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office indicted only one of the three prosecutors on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (Kim Young-ran Act), while the other two were not prosecuted.

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice announced plans to promptly proceed with disciplinary procedures against the involved prosecutors. On this day, the Ministry of Justice stated, "We will cooperate with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office through the Inspection Office and proceed with future procedures strictly and swiftly."

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