'Yoon Jjigeonaegi Inspection Suspicion' Park Eun-jung, Prosecutor's Office Appearance "Inspection Was Lawful, Discipline Was Justified"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Woo-young), which is investigating the allegations of a disciplinary probe aimed at ousting Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, summoned former Ministry of Justice Inspection Officer Park Eun-jung (currently Head Prosecutor of the Major Economic Crime Investigation Division at Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office) as a suspect on the 19th.

As Park entered the prosecution building that afternoon, she told reporters, "The reinvestigation against me does not overturn the ruling that Prosecutor General Yoon's disciplinary action was justified," and asserted, "The inspection at the time was lawful, and the disciplinary action against President Yoon was justified."

She added, "I understand there are expectations within the prosecution for a president who is a former Prosecutor General, but the way to restore trust is for the prosecution not to retaliate through investigations and not to be loyal to individuals."

Park is suspected of unlawfully providing Ministry of Justice and Supreme Prosecutors' Office materials, which were secured under the pretext of inspecting Prosecutor General Han Dong-hoon (currently Minister of Justice) in October 2020 during Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae's tenure, to the Ministry of Justice Inspection Committee that was conducting the inspection of Prosecutor General Yoon. She is also suspected of destroying evidence by initially not including these materials in Minister Han's inspection report and later backdating and filing them.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office received a complaint in December 2020 against then Seoul Central District Prosecutor Chief Lee Sung-yoon (currently Research Commissioner at the Judicial Research and Training Institute) and former Inspection Officer Park, conducted an investigation, and dismissed the case in July last year. Subsequently, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office ordered a reinvestigation in June, leading to the restart of the investigation.

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