A lawyer with no prosecutorial experience has been appointed as the first deputy chief of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency (MCIA), which is set to open tomorrow. Jeon Jong-min, 59, stated that he will leverage his experience as a judge and lawyer to address areas that prosecutors may overlook.
On October 1, Jeon discussed his appointment, saying, "If I were to interpret the intent of the appointing authority, I believe that the experience and capabilities of someone who is not a prosecutor were also necessary." He added, "With my 30 years of experience as a judge and lawyer, I will help supplement what prosecutors may miss, and I think I also have areas where I need to learn myself."
He identified enhancing investigative capabilities as a key goal for the new organization, stating, "I will create an agency that excels in investigations." He acknowledged the potential dilemmas between the rights of defendants and victims but emphasized, "If we conduct thorough investigations and reach conclusions based on the facts, there will be no unjust outcomes."
Jeon expressed his commitment to utilizing his 30 years of legal experience to help establish the MCIA.
Regarding his history of representing pro-government figures, he explained that it was due to personal relationships. Jeon served as a representative in the lawsuit to overturn the dismissal of Cho Kuk, head of the Innovation Policy Research Institute, from Seoul National University. He also represented former lawmaker Choi Kang-wook in a case involving violations of the Public Official Election Act.
He noted, "I have known former Minister Cho since we were both 20-year-old college students, and I was classmates with former lawmaker Choi. I felt it was necessary to provide legal assistance when they were in difficult situations." He added, "While I will not directly conduct investigations in my role as deputy chief, I will be thoroughly cautious and attentive to ensure there are no disputes regarding the fairness of investigations."
Jeon graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in law and passed the bar exam in 1992. He began his judicial career at the Chuncheon District Court in 1998 and has worked at the Uijeongbu District Court and the Seoul Administrative Court before becoming a lawyer in 2006. He has practiced at law firms Hwa Woo and Gong Jon and taught students at Hanyang University and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies from 2012 to 2014.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.