The application period for special appointments at the Major Crimes Investigation Agency (MCIA), set to officially launch in October, closes today. Despite the government's significant incentives, including new allowances and support for living conditions, the recruitment of key personnel, particularly prosecutors and senior investigators, is expected to fall short, raising concerns about initial investigative capabilities.
The Ministry of Interior's MCIA preparation team will close applications for investigator positions at 6 p.m. today. From August 5 to 12, the team held briefings for prosecutors and investigators from 18 local prosecutor's offices nationwide who wish to transition to the MCIA, starting to accept applications on August 7.
The team plans to finalize the selection of candidates in September and deploy them on October 2, coinciding with the agency's opening. Applicants can withdraw their applications until August 31.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the MCIA will have a total of 2,874 positions, with 2,567 (89.3%) dedicated to specific investigators handling seven major crimes, including corruption, economic offenses, defense business crimes, drug-related crimes, insurrection and foreign exchange crimes, cybercrime, and legal distortion. Current prosecutors and investigators can transition to MCIA investigators without a separate examination if they express interest.
However, participation from prosecutors, who are essential to the agency's structure, has been notably low. As of August 11, about 3,070 individuals attended the appointment briefing, but only around 260 were prosecutors. This represents approximately 12% of the total prosecutor workforce of 2,215, indicating a lack of interest in becoming MCIA investigators.
The primary reason for prosecutors' reluctance to join the MCIA is the change in status and potential decline in treatment. Transitioning to the MCIA means losing the title of 'prosecutor' and becoming an investigator at level 4 or higher. Prosecutors with over ten years of experience are classified as level 3, while deputy and chief prosecutors are classified as level 2, and district chief prosecutors as level 1. However, prosecutors with less than ten years of experience, who typically receive level 3 treatment within the prosecution, would be downgraded to level 4 investigators under the MCIA appointment regulations, effectively resulting in a 'downward job change.'
In contrast, interest among regular civil servant investigators appears to be higher, but there are concerns about the agency's ability to secure sufficient investigative power. Approximately 45% of the 6,300 investigators attended the briefing, but interest was primarily concentrated among lower-level investigators at levels 8 and 9.
Moreover, senior investigators at level 5 and above are also hesitant to move to the MCIA. They fear that while the workload will increase, opportunities for promotion may decrease. The limited number of regional offices, only six nationwide, adds to the burden of remote work for these individuals.
In response to the lukewarm reactions from prosecutors and some investigators, the preparation team has proposed various improvements to working conditions. They plan to offer a 'major crime investigation allowance' of 100,000 to 200,000 won per month for dedicated investigators, and an additional 80,000 won monthly risk allowance for drug investigators. Support for housing and commuting for remote workers, opportunities for overseas training at the level of the Ministry of Justice, and measures to compensate for reductions in existing allowances have also been outlined.
Despite these efforts, the atmosphere among current prosecutors remains cold, with the preparation team not disclosing the status of applications. They are not considering mandatory placements for unfilled positions but plan to enhance investigative capabilities by hiring external professionals, including lawyers, certified public accountants, and police officers.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior plans to select candidates for the inaugural MCIA chief through public recommendations by August 26. To facilitate this, they established a candidate recommendation committee the day before, appointing Professor Lee Joo-won from Korea University as the chair.
The committee consists of nine members, including six ex-officio members and three appointed members, as stipulated by the MCIA Act.
The ex-officio members include Lee Jin-soo, Deputy Minister of Justice; Kim Min-jae, Deputy Minister of the Interior; Ki Woo-jong, Deputy Chief of the Court Administration Office; Kim Jung-wook, President of the Korean Bar Association; Choi Bong-kyung, President of the Korean Association of Law Professors; and Hong Dae-sik, Chairman of the Council of Law Schools.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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