Ruling and opposition parties clash at confirmation hearing for first Serious Crimes Investigation Agency chief

The National Assembly held a confirmation hearing Wednesday for Kim Ji-yong, nominee for inaugural director of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, with sharp exchanges from both sides of the aisle over his past record and commitment to prosecutorial reform. Amid dissent even within the ruling camp over his history of opposing prosecution reform and his ties to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim pledged not to repeat what he called "targeted or dragnet investigations."

In his opening remarks before the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, Kim said the agency — established through the separation of investigation and indictment powers as part of criminal justice reform — must take root successfully in Korean society, deliver judicial justice and protect the daily lives of citizens. "I will ensure the agency investigates fairly, guided solely by law and principle, without bending to outside pressure," he said.

He added that investigations would be conducted strictly on the basis of evidence and legal reasoning, and that he would not hesitate to close a case if the evidence did not support a criminal finding. "I will do my utmost to ensure that not a single person suffers an unjust outcome, and I will supervise the agency so that the rights of all those involved in investigations are fully protected," he said.

The hearing centered on scrutiny of Kim's past conduct and his resolve to carry out prosecutorial reform. Kim had previously opposed legislation to curtail the prosecution's investigative powers and had joined a statement by senior prosecutors opposing disciplinary action against Yoon, who was then prosecutor general.

Lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party criticized Kim's handling of cases during his time as a prosecutor, saying he had shown "cowardice." The People Power Party, meanwhile, accused the ruling camp of internal infighting that had caused the agency to be launched in a "hasty" manner.

Yoon Geon-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker aligned with former President Moon Jae-in, was the first to question Kim. He alleged that Kim had been involved in the decision to indict former Deputy Prosecutor General Jeong Jin-woong on assault charges, saying the move reflected "political prosecutors closing ranks to protect Han Dong-hoon" and that Kim had made a "cowardly choice" in the process.

"The nominee was then deputy chief of a high prosecutors' office and was clearly in the approval chain," Yoon said. "Standing up and saying 'I approved it' is the kind of posture the public expects." Yoon also took issue with Kim's failure to file a formal objection against the indictment in the case involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui's alleged illegal travel ban.

Jeong Chun-saeng of the Rebuilding Korea Party said the inaugural director of the agency must fulfill the public's aspirations for prosecutorial reform. "Kim is not that person, and that is why the public opposes his appointment," Jeong said.

Park Deok-heum of the People Power Party took a different line, expressing puzzlement that the confirmation hearing had been delayed by what he called internal ruling-camp squabbling. "There was not this level of conflict even during the Democratic Party's presidential primary or party leadership elections," he said.

Park also said the agency's unprepared launch was causing widespread public anxiety. "The Lee Jae Myung administration's prosecution reform is expected to produce significant side effects," he said.

When Park asked Kim to name the top "political prosecutor," Kim said former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol had done the most harm. Asked who would come next, Kim said, "Yoon Suk Yeol and those connected to him." When Park followed up by asking whether that included lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, Kim replied, "It would be hard to deny."

In response to questioning by Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Gwang-hee, Kim addressed his participation in the statement opposing disciplinary action against then-Prosecutor General Yoon, saying it had been a position on procedural concerns only and was not an act of collective defiance.

On the separate issue of document submissions, lawmakers from both parties united in criticizing Kim.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Jeong-hyeon said the agency had failed to provide operational manuals and other requested materials, accusing it of "following the same approach the Supreme Prosecutors' Office used to treat the National Assembly." "If this is allowed to stand, the agency will be nothing more than the prosecution rebranded," Park said.

People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-jin said his requests for Kim's commendation records had also gone unanswered. "Documents that should be submitted as a matter of course have not been provided at all. The nominee is completely unprepared for this confirmation hearing," Kwon said.