Photo : YONHAP News
Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho has suspended prosecutor Park Sang-yong over allegations that he attempted to elicit desired statements from a witness during an investigation into Ssangbangwool Group’s illegal fund transfers to North Korea.
The Ministry of Justice said on Monday the measure, which falls under the Prosecutors’ Disciplinary Act, was taken at the request of acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyun.
The ministry said it deemed it inappropriate for Park to continue his duties given the nature of the allegations.
The allegations emerged after KBS revealed a recorded call from 2023 involving Park and a lawyer for Lee Hwa-young, the former Gyeonggi Province vice governor for peace.
In the recording, Park was heard suggesting that a statement implicating Lee Jae Myung as the main culprit in the case would be needed to secure favorable treatment for Lee Hwa-young.
President Lee has been accused of asking Ssangbangwool Group to make an unauthorized transfer of millions of dollars to North Korea around 2020 when he was governor of Gyeonggi, through then vice governor Lee, to facilitate his planned visit to Pyongyang.