Daejeon, South Korea – The Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) in South Korea has formally requested the justice ministry to initiate disciplinary action against an incumbent prosecutor for announcing his candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Kim Sang-min, a senior prosecutor from the Daejeon High Prosecutors Office, recently declared his intention to run for a parliamentary seat during a public event in Changwon, his hometown, where he also celebrated the publication of his book. Although Kim subsequently resigned, his resignation has not yet been accepted.
According to Yonhap News Agency, there is also a request for disciplinary action against Park Dae-beom, another senior prosecutor at the Gwangju High Prosecutors Office. Park is under scrutiny for engaging in what the SPO termed “inappropriate” contacts with external parties in relation to the election.
The SPO stated that it had conducted an inspection and found both prosecutors in violation of their duty to maintain political neutrality. This led to the immediate request for disciplinary measures against them.
Additionally, the SPO revealed that Kim, while serving at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in September, had sent text messages to residents of his hometown during the Chuseok holiday, hinting at his political ambitions.