The appointment of the first head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is expected to be a key issue in this year's National Assembly audit. The agency has launched without a leader, leading to ongoing criticism and calls for scrutiny regarding the qualifications of candidate Kim Ji-yong from both opposition parties and within the ruling party.
With President Lee Jae-myung's firm commitment to Kim's appointment, debates over the candidate's qualifications and the agency's readiness for operation are likely to intensify early in the audit. President Lee has warned against treating judicial reform as a 'political legacy of a specific individual,' which is expected to influence internal discussions within the ruling party.
According to political sources, the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee will begin its audit on October 6, starting with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, which officially launched on October 2 following the dissolution of the Prosecutor's Office, will face its first audit. The committee is also set to discuss the schedule for Kim's confirmation hearing during its meetings on October 6 and 7, with a hearing likely to take place in mid-October.
The primary point of contention is Kim's qualifications. The ruling People Power Party has indicated it will conduct a thorough examination of Kim's suitability for the position, stating, "We will rigorously verify whether he is qualified to be the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency." There have been concerns regarding the government's intentions, as many candidates for the agency's leadership have backgrounds as prosecutors.
Views within the ruling party are not unified. While the Democratic Party leadership has expressed respect for Kim's appointment, there is open opposition from hardliners advocating for judicial reform. It remains uncertain whether this dissent will be limited to figures like Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung and Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min. Park Joo-min, a member of the Administrative Safety Committee, emphasized the need to confirm during the hearing that Kim opposed the separation of investigation and prosecution during his time as a prosecutor.
Beyond Kim himself, the agency's operational readiness is also a target for scrutiny during the audit. The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency opened under the leadership of acting head Jeon Jong-min, as the appointment of its first director has not yet been finalized. Of the initial 2,874 positions, only 1,900 have been filled, resulting in a staffing rate of 66.1%.
President Lee has directly refuted allegations of favoritism towards pro-Yoon (supporters of former President Yoon Suk-yeol) prosecutors and has effectively concluded that Kim will be appointed. On the same day, President Lee posted a lengthy message on X (formerly Twitter) regarding judicial reform, stating, "Judicial reform is for the people, not to create a political legacy for specific individuals." He added, "The task of separating investigation and prosecution has now been institutionally completed by law, and the remaining work is to ensure it is properly implemented and operated."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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