The Innovation Party officially confirmed its opposition to the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as the first chief of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency on October 15.
Jung Chun-sang, the party's secretary-general, stated during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, "After comprehensively reviewing Kim Ji-yong's past actions and his explanations during the confirmation hearing, we concluded that he is not the right person to sincerely carry out prosecutorial reform."
He criticized, "Kim has never publicly spoken out, acted, or written against prosecutorial power in the name of reform. He is not suitable for prosecutorial reform. In fact, he has been on the opposite side of major cases that revealed issues within the prosecution."
Hwang Hyun-seon, a Supreme Council member, also raised concerns, stating, "Kim has proven through the confirmation hearing that he lacks both the philosophy and qualifications to be the chief of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, and he is a cowardly opportunist."
He warned, "If the government pushes forward with the appointment of an unqualified individual against public sentiment, it could lead to a regression in prosecutorial reform and a loss of momentum in governance. Sometimes, losing can be a form of winning."
Meanwhile, the Innovation Party expressed conditional support for the special prosecution bill on fabricated indictments being pursued by the Democratic Party, urging discussions alongside the 'Special Act on Investigating the Misuse of Prosecutorial Power' proposed by the Innovation Party.
Despite this opposition, the Blue House distanced itself from the controversy surrounding Kim's nomination.
Seong Gi-hong, the Blue House's chief of public relations, stated on CBS Radio, "It is true that there are various opposing views regarding him (Kim), but considering his expertise, his career path, and his commitment to prosecutorial reform expressed yesterday, I believe the National Assembly will make an appropriate judgment on the confirmation report today."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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