Anyone Can Recommend Candidates for BMCI Chief; Lee Joowon Appointed as Recommendation Committee Chair

Nominations Open Until August 26 for Individuals and Corporations

Candidates Must Have Over 15 Years of Investigative or Legal Experience, With No Disqualifying Factors

Recommendation Committee to Nominate at Least Three Candidates, One to B

The government has started the process of selecting the inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA). It has formed a Candidate Recommendation Committee and will accept nominations from the public for suitable candidates until the 26th.

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is holding a briefing on the morning of the 19th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, regarding the announcement of the composition of the Candidate Recommendation Committee for the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the nomination of candidates. Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, held a briefing at the Government Seoul Office on the 19th and announced that the Candidate Recommendation Committee for the SCIA has been formed with a total of nine members: six ex officio members and three appointed members.

Considering expertise and experience in the legal field, Minister Yoon nominated Lee Joowon, professor at Korea University School of Law, as committee chair. He also appointed Kim Hyobung, managing partner at Jungbu Law, and Hong Jonghee, auditor at the Korea Bar Association Legal Aid Foundation, as committee members.

Chair Lee graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Judicial Studies and earned his Master of Laws degree at the graduate school of Korea University. He began his legal career by passing the 31st bar examination and has served as a judge at Cheongju, Suwon, and Incheon District Courts, a judge at Seoul High Court, a research judge at the Supreme Court, and a chief judge at Gwangju District Court.

The ex officio committee members include Lee Jinsu, Vice Minister of Justice; Kim Minjae, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety; Ki Woojong, Deputy Chief of the National Court Administration; Kim Jungwook, President of the Korean Bar Association; Choi Bongkyung, President of the Korean Law Professors Association; and Hong Daesik, Chair of the Korean Association of Law Schools.

Any individual, corporation, or organization may nominate candidates they believe are suitable for the position of SCIA chief to the Minister of the Interior and Safety. The nomination must be submitted in a confidential document, either in person or by registered mail, and must include major credentials such as academic background, professional experience, and reasons for the recommendation. The nominee must have at least 15 years of experience or service in investigative or legal work, meet the legal qualifications for appointment, and have no grounds for disqualification under the law.

Once the public nomination process is completed, the Candidate Recommendation Committee will convene at the beginning of next month to recommend at least three candidates. The Minister of the Interior and Safety will then nominate one of them as the candidate for SCIA chief, and the President will make the final appointment after a confirmation hearing in the National Assembly.

Minister Yoon encouraged the public, stating, "For the SCIA to serve as a strong safeguard for the protection of citizens' rights, the role and responsibilities of the inaugural chief are significant. I encourage active participation in the nomination process to ensure that a qualified individual with professionalism and impartiality can lead the newly established organization."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.