'Holiday Text Message Controversy' Chief Prosecutor Holds Book Launch Event in Changwon

Group Text Sent to Changwon Residents During Last Year's Chuseok Holiday
Resignation Not Accepted... Transfer and Disciplinary Actions Taken

A current chief prosecutor, who caused controversy by sending text messages hinting at running for the general election to hometown residents during the holidays, held a book launch event.

On the 6th, Kim Sang-min, a prosecutor at the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 35), held a book launch event in the afternoon at the Changwon University Comprehensive Education Center in Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.

Prosecutor Kim Sang-min of the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 35), who caused controversy by sending text messages hinting at running for the general election to his hometown people during the holidays, is greeting attendees at a book launch event held on the afternoon of the 6th at the Changwon University Comprehensive Education Hall in Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

At the event, Chief Prosecutor Kim said, "I am glad to be back in Changwon" and expressed his feelings by saying, "I will do my best to repay your kindness."

Last year, when Kim was the chief prosecutor of the 9th Criminal Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, it was revealed during a National Assembly inspection that he had sent text messages to Changwon residents before the Chuseok holiday saying, "I am a Changwon person to the bone" and "I will bring great hope and goals to the local community," which caused a stir.

After the controversy, Chief Prosecutor Kim explained that the messages were merely greetings without political meaning and unrelated to the general election. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Committee also considered this explanation and judged that it was not a matter warranting disciplinary action, ending with a relatively light sanction of a "prosecutor general warning."

However, Chief Prosecutor Kim submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Justice, expressed his intention to run for the general election, and announced the book launch event. Amid the controversy over political neutrality, Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok ordered additional inspections, and Kim was transferred to the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office.

Kim posted on Facebook, "The decision was easy," and held the book launch event as planned.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office did not accept Kim's resignation, transferred him to the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, and decided to proceed with inspection and disciplinary measures.

A representative of Chief Prosecutor Kim's side stated, "On the 9th, he plans to join the People Power Party, register as a preliminary candidate for the 22nd general election in the Changwon Uichang electoral district, and hold a press conference at the Changwon City Hall Press Center on the same morning."

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