More than 2,300 applicants, including prosecutors and investigators, have applied for special appointments at the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), which is set to launch on October 2.
According to the legal community on August 21, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's SCIA preparation team reported that a total of 2,375 applications were submitted between August 7 and 6 p.m. on August 20. This number represents 82.6% of the agency's total authorized personnel of 2,874.
Notably, there was a significant interest from 6th to 9th grade investigators, particularly those in the 8th and 9th grades (judicial police), whose application rates reached 120% to 150% of their quotas, indicating fierce competition. Additionally, about 80% of the 6th and 7th grade investigators have also applied.
Over 100 current prosecutors have reportedly submitted applications. Initially, only 30 to 40 prosecutors had applied by the deadline, but a surge of applications came in just before the closing time. Most applicants were senior prosecutors from the 36th and 37th classes of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, as well as deputy chief prosecutors with over ten years of legal experience. In contrast, around 30 to 40 applications came from prosecutors with less than ten years of experience.
Notable applicants include Im Eun-jung, head of the Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, recognized as a reformist within the prosecution, and Moon Ji-seok, a senior prosecutor at Suwon High Prosecutors' Office, who raised allegations regarding the 'Coupang investigation cover-up.'
Additionally, many prosecutors who have worked in the Special Investigation Team for the National Security Act and the Kim Geon-hee Special Investigation Team have also applied. Prosecutors moving to the SCIA will be appointed according to their previous positions and experience: district chief prosecutors will be classified as level 1, deputy chief and senior prosecutors as level 2, those with over ten years of experience as level 3, and those with less than ten years as level 4.
The legal community has reacted with surprise to the application results. Initially, there was a cold atmosphere within the prosecution regarding the transition to the SCIA, as attendance at the SCIA information sessions was low, and many prosecutors were reportedly unaware that the sessions were taking place.
However, some analysts suggest that the opportunity to lead investigation teams at the SCIA while maintaining investigative experience, along with considerations for post-retirement legal practice, contributed to the last-minute surge in applications.
The preparation team plans to evaluate applicants based on their preferred work locations and expertise to select the final appointees in September, with official appointments scheduled to coincide with the agency's launch on October 2.
Any unfilled positions from this special appointment process will be addressed through additional special appointments linked to the reduction of prosecution personnel following the confirmation of the Public Prosecution Service's structure, or through competitive recruitment targeting police officers, lawyers, accountants, and cyber and financial experts.
The SCIA is a newly established investigative agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, created to separate investigation and prosecution functions within the criminal justice system. It will focus on investigating seven major crimes, including corruption, economic offenses, defense industry issues, drug-related crimes, national security, cybercrime, and legal distortion. In contrast, the Public Prosecution Service will handle only prosecution-related tasks, excluding investigative duties.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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