Cheong Wa Dae says vetting of investigative agency chief nominee continues

Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said additional vetting is underway for Kim Ji-yong, the attorney nominated to lead the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, adding that the review is being conducted "quite carefully."

Kang made the remarks Friday on MBC Radio when asked when the question of the agency director nominee would be resolved. "As far as I know, additional vetting is still ongoing, so it is still difficult to say when," she said.

"Many people have been raising various concerns about him," Kang said. "We are not brushing those aside — we are conducting additional vetting on those points as well."

Earlier, Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung recommended Kim for the inaugural director post on Sept. 7, and Cheong Wa Dae announced that the president would formally nominate him and would soon request a confirmation hearing from the National Assembly.

However, after returning from a visit to France on Sept. 10, the president ordered further vetting, and the formal request for a confirmation hearing has yet to be submitted to the Assembly.