Prosecutor Park Sang-yong Refuses to Be Sworn In Again as Witness for Special Committee [Yonhap News File Photo]

The Seoul High Prosecutors' Office's task force (TF) for inspecting human rights violations, which has been investigating allegations of a so-called 'salmon drinking party' raised during the Ssangbangul North Korea remittance probe, has reported to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office that a drinking session did occur during the investigation.

According to legal circles on the 5th, the TF recently reported its inspection findings to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, indicating that alcohol was brought into the prosecutor's office during the investigation of Lee Hwa-young, former Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, by the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office.

This comes eight months after the Ministry of Justice ordered an inspection in September last year, stating that there were circumstances of a 'salmon drinking party' on May 17, 2023.

The TF reportedly based its conclusion on a statement from a detainee at a correctional facility who claimed to have heard Lee say, "I drank alcohol," and on records of former Ssangbangul executive Park purchasing soju with a corporate card at a convenience store.

The recorded phone call between Prosecutor Park Sang-yong and lawyer Seo Min-seok, who was Lee's lawyer, as well as the results of a polygraph test conducted on Lee, are also said to have been reflected in the findings.

Lee had revealed that Prosecutor Park Sang-yong, who handled the investigation, attempted to persuade him, but Prosecutor Park has denied the allegations.

Previously, the TF had sought an arrest warrant for former Ssangbangul executive Park on charges of obstruction of official duties by deception, alleging he brought soju into the prosecutor's investigation room, but the warrant was dismissed by the court.

However, former executive Park claimed at the 'Special Committee for the Truth Investigation into the Fabrication and Prosecution of the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration's Political Prosecutor Case' held at the National Assembly last month, where he appeared as a witness, "I bought (the alcohol) to drink privately and drank it in the car," adding, "I feel distressed because I believe it happened due to my immoral actions."

Given that the statute of limitations for disciplinary action against Prosecutor Park Sang-yong expires on the 17th, it is expected that Prosecutor General Ku Ja-hyun, acting as the acting Prosecutor General, will review the TF's inspection results and soon decide whether to seek disciplinary action against Prosecutor Park.

According to the Prosecutor Disciplinary Act, disciplinary action can be sought within three years from the date the disciplinary grounds arose.

Meanwhile, Prosecutor Park stated on Facebook the previous day, "It seems they are concluding without even investigating me regarding the 'salmon drinking party'," protesting that the TF did not give him an opportunity to rebut.

He added, "It has been four months since I pleaded last January to please stop investigating other matters and just investigate the 'salmon drinking party'," stating, "Since then, I have never been notified of any charges or summoned for questioning."