President Lee Jae-myung defended Kim Ji-yong, the nominee for the inaugural head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, on October 2, stating it is difficult to categorize him as a supporter of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. He emphasized the need to respect the nomination and verification process, asserting that the final appointment will be decided after the National Assembly's confirmation hearing.
On this day, President Lee shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) questioning whether Kim should be labeled a pro-Yoon prosecutor simply because he was promoted to chief prosecutor during former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's tenure. He remarked, “Life is not that straightforward. It is generally very complex, especially when it comes to evaluating people.”
President Lee explained that Kim was effectively sidelined from the prosecution after ordering a re-investigation into a case involving alleged witness tampering by the mother-in-law of former President Yoon. He posed the question, “Isn’t it difficult to conclude that he is at least a pro-Yoon?”
While acknowledging that he cannot claim Kim is a perfect candidate, President Lee stated, “He does not appear to warrant the denial of a confirmation hearing to the extent that it would disregard the recommendations of the independent selection committee and the Minister of the Interior and Safety.”
He also explained why he did not request a new nomination, citing the lengthy additional verification process and asserting that Kim was deemed the best candidate among the four shortlisted by the selection committee. “We will decide on the final appointment after the National Assembly hearing,” he added, urging the public to observe the hearing results, as the appointment follows legal procedures involving public recommendations, committee reviews, and ministerial proposals.
Earlier, President Lee had also countered claims that Kim should be excluded due to his background as a prosecutor. He argued that preventing the appointment of a former prosecutor, who is an expert in investigations, based solely on their background is akin to undermining the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. He emphasized that the goal of prosecutorial reform is not revenge against the prosecution but rather the separation of investigation and prosecution and preventing misuse of power by political authorities.
Kim's confirmation request was submitted to the National Assembly on the same day. Kang Yu-jeong, the chief spokesperson for the Blue House, announced that President Lee had approved the request the previous day.
The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency was launched under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, following the abolition of the prosecution office and the separation of investigation and prosecution. It will handle seven major crimes, including corruption, economic offenses, defense business crimes, drug-related crimes, national security offenses, and cybercrime. The newly established Public Prosecution Office will be responsible for filing and maintaining charges. Due to delays in Kim's confirmation process, the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency began operations without a head.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.