Profiles of Four Inaugural Serious Crime Investigation Agency Chief Candidates: Three Former Prosecutors, One Former Judge (Comprehensive)

Candidate Recommendation Committee Resolves to Recommend Four Finalists
"Uniform Exclusion of Former Prosecutors Deemed Inappropriate"
"Unanimous Consensus Reached on the Four Final Candidates"

The four candidates for the inaugural Chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency have been announced.

The Candidate Recommendation Committee for the Chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency held a meeting at the Government Complex Seoul on September 4, 2026, and announced that it had selected four candidates for the inaugural position: attorneys Kwanjung Kim, Jiyong Kim, Hongju Moon, and Professor Yoonje Lee from Myongji University’s Department of Law. The committee resolved to recommend these four individuals to the Minister of the Interior and Safety.

The Candidate Recommendation Committee for the Chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency announced that it has selected four candidates for the inaugural Chief of the Agency: Attorney Kim Kwanjung (from left), Attorney Kim Jiyong, Attorney Moon Hongju, and Professor Lee Yoonje from Myongji University Law Department, and decided to recommend them to the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. September 4, 2026 [Photo by Yonhap News]

The Candidate Recommendation Committee conducted discussions on the nominees who were proposed through the national recommendation process held from August 19 to 26. Out of a total of 23 nominees recommended by the public, 12 did not agree to undergo the screening process and were excluded, leaving 11 individuals as official candidates for evaluation. According to legal provisions, Minister of the Interior and Safety Hoonhong Yoon could also submit recommendations, but it is reported that he did not make any separate nominations.

After the meeting, Committee Chairman Joowon Lee briefed the results, stating, "We focused on qualifications and capabilities essential for the first Chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, including investigative expertise, leadership for establishing the new organization, and understanding of the agency’s purpose and role."

Among the four selected finalists, attorneys Kwanjung Kim and Jiyong Kim are former prosecutors, and Professor Yoonje Lee also has previous experience as a prosecutor. Attorney Hongju Moon is a former judge.

In response to concerns from some quarters that appointing a former prosecutor as the inaugural chief “may not be desirable,” Chairman Lee said, “There was consensus that it would not be appropriate to uniformly exclude those with prosecutorial backgrounds at the recommendation stage.”

Attorney Kwanjung Kim is a former prosecutor who served as Chief of the Criminal Affairs Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, Chief Prosecutor at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office, and Chief Prosecutor at the Suwon High Prosecutors’ Office. He is currently practicing as the head attorney at Kwanjung Kim Law Office.

Attorney Jiyong Kim is a former Chief of the Criminal Affairs Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and also served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor at both the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office and the Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office. Since 2023, he has been serving as lead attorney at Apex Law LLC.

Joo-Won Lee, Chair of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency Nomination Committee, is briefing on the meeting results on the afternoon of the 4th at the briefing room of the Government Seoul Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Provided by Ministry of the Interior and Safety

Of the four candidates, attorney Hongju Moon is the only former judge. He previously served as a judge at the Seoul Central District Court and as a presiding judge at the Daejeon District Court, and is now lead attorney at Ilsun Law LLC.

Professor Yoonje Lee is also a former prosecutor and served as an assistant special prosecutor in the special investigation on insurrection, as well as a member of the first Legal and Prosecutorial Reform Committee under the Moon Jae-in administration. He is currently active in the “Committee for Enhancing Public Trust in Police Investigations,” launched in response to the Jang Yoonki case.

Bae Hae-ryong, a superintendent who has been alleging external pressure in the customs drug investigation case, was also among the 11 final candidates. Chairman Lee said, "After discussing Superintendent Bae’s eligibility as a candidate, the committee decided not to recommend him."

Chairman Lee also announced that the committee unanimously agreed on the four final nominees. He explained, "After multiple discussions and votes regarding the 11 candidates, these four received an overwhelming majority of support. While not intentional, a certain degree of balance in terms of region and professional background has also been achieved."

In accordance with the law, the Minister of the Interior and Safety will nominate one of the four recommended candidates to the President. The nominee will then undergo a National Assembly confirmation hearing before being officially appointed by the President.

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