Inaugural Seoul serious crimes chief vows to investigate 'strictly by law and principle'

Choi Eui-jong, the inaugural chief of the Seoul Regional Office of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, said Wednesday that investigators must remain unswayed by power or political interests and conduct inquiries "strictly in accordance with the law and principle, with eyes fixed solely on the people."

Speaking at his inauguration ceremony Wednesday morning at the agency's office in Jung-gu, Seoul, Choi said the organization had taken its first steps under a new name amid what he called "a sweeping transformation of the criminal justice system achieved on Friday after 78 years." He said he would devote every effort to ensuring the agency takes root successfully, and offered several points of guidance.

"I have witnessed firsthand what happens when an investigative agency fails to maintain political neutrality and loses the trust of the people," Choi said. "We must not be swayed by power or political interests. We must investigate strictly by law and principle, with our eyes on the people alone."

He added that the agency must not repeat past mistakes under a different name. "The scope and intensity of investigations must be calibrated to what is necessary under the principle of proportionality required by the Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure," he said. "We must review the facts and legal principles accurately and move swiftly."

Choi stressed the need to build specialized investigative capacity. "Serious crimes are growing more sophisticated and complex by the day," he said. "Understanding intricate financial transactions and capital market structures, and sifting through vast amounts of material to uncover evidence and establish the truth of a crime, requires deep expertise."

He went on to say the agency would work to strengthen the use of advanced investigative tools, including AI, and would arrange practical training through specialists in each field. "Please commit to self-development so that each of you can grow into a top expert in your own area," he said.

Choi also spoke about cohesion within the organization. "Build teamwork and harmony with bonds as strong as steel," he said. "Serious crime investigations can never be carried out alone. Individual capability translates into organizational strength only when teams and departments cooperate closely and fill in each other's gaps."

He called for strict self-discipline as well. "As members of an agency that investigates corruption and economic crime, we must hold ourselves to a stricter moral standard," Choi said. "One person's misconduct or moral lapse can render a colleague's dedication meaningless and undermine the trust of the entire organization."

"Let each of us prepare thoroughly in our own roles, fill in what others lack, and together build an investigative system that lives up to the expectations of the people," Choi added.