Yoon Ho-jung, the Minister of the Interior and Safety, stated on September 9 that Kim Ji-yong, the nominee for the inaugural head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, does not have issues with the fundamental philosophy of current prosecutorial reform and the protection of human rights.
During a session of the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee, Yoon responded to a question from Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, who raised concerns about Kim's past opposition to the reduction of prosecutorial investigative powers.
Kim, who served as the head of the Criminal Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, expressed his opposition in 2022 when legislation aimed at completely stripping the prosecution of its investigative powers, known as 'Geumsu Wanbak,' was proposed. This has led to criticisms that his stance is inconsistent with the intent of separating investigation and prosecution as part of prosecutorial reform.
In response, Yoon emphasized that Kim had been thoroughly vetted by the Serious Crimes Chief Nomination Committee and noted that specific issues could be addressed during the confirmation hearing. He explained that Kim's previous position on supplementary investigative powers was based on his role as the head of the Criminal Division, which primarily handles supplementary investigations.
Addressing concerns about the readiness of personnel, equipment, and the criminal justice information system for the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, which is set to launch on October 2, Yoon reiterated that there would be no issues with its normal operation. He stated, 'We have decided to equip the necessary equipment and systems,' adding that the initial staffing would involve transferring personnel from the prosecution, with plans to hire additional staff as needed.
Regarding the criticism that there are not enough prosecutors with expertise in handling serious crimes such as corruption, economic offenses, drug-related cases, and defense industry matters, Yoon clarified that the goal was not to fill all positions exclusively with former prosecutors and expressed confidence that sufficient personnel had been secured.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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