Kwanjeong Kim, Jiyong Kim, Attorneys; Hongjoo Moon, Attorney; and Yoonje Lee, Professor, Named as Candidates for Serious Crime Investigation Agency Chief (Update)

Candidate Committee Focuses on Qualifications Such as Professionalism and Leadership
Three Nominees with Prosecutorial or Judicial Backgrounds, One Law Professor
Minister of the Interior and Safety to Nominate One Candidate to the President

The Candidate Recommendation Committee for the Chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (Chairman Joo Won Lee) resolved on the 4th to select four candidates for the inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and recommend them to the Minister of the Interior and Safety.

Joo-Won Lee, Chairman of the Committee for Recommendation of the Chief Prosecutor of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, is delivering a speech during the 'Committee Meeting for Recommendation of the Chief Prosecutor of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency' held on the afternoon of the 4th at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

The four nominees for the inaugural chief are Kwanjeong Kim, Managing Attorney at Kim Kwanjeong Law Office; Jiyong Kim, Attorney at Apex Law Office; Hongjoo Moon, Attorney at Ilseon Law Office; and Yoonje Lee, Professor at the Department of Law at Myongji University.

The Candidate Recommendation Committee discussed the nominees who were recommended through the public nomination process held from August 19 to 26. Of the 23 people publicly nominated, 12 did not agree to undergo the screening process and were excluded, leaving 11 individuals as candidates for review.

After the meeting, Chairman Lee stated in a press briefing, “We focused on evaluating the necessary qualifications and capabilities for the inaugural chief of the agency, such as investigative expertise, leadership to establish the new organization, and understanding of the purpose and role of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency.”

He added, “Although the Minister of the Interior and Safety is also legally permitted to make recommendations, none were put forward by the minister. Only the 11 people who were nominated by the public and consented to the review were selected as candidates for screening.”

In response to concerns that a former prosecutor should not be appointed as the inaugural chief, Chairman Lee explained, “The candidates include two with prosecutorial backgrounds (Kwanjeong Kim and Jiyong Kim), one with judicial experience as a judge (Hongjoo Moon), and one professor specializing in criminal law (Yoonje Lee). There was consensus that it would not be appropriate to categorically exclude nominees with prosecutorial backgrounds at the recommendation stage.”

According to law, the Minister of the Interior and Safety will select one among the four recommended candidates and nominate that person to the president as the candidate for chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency. The candidate will then undergo a personnel hearing at the National Assembly, after which the president will make the final appointment.

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