Relieved of Kim Seungwon Burden, Presidential Office Faces 'Kim Jiyong'... Director General Appointment at a Crossroads

With Kim Seungwon's Voluntary Withdrawal, Presidential Office Eases Personnel Hurdle
Additional Vetting for Kim Jiyong Underway
Presidential Office: "Carefully Reviewing All Opinions"
Twelve Days Until Special Investigation Agency Launch
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With Kim Seungwon, the nominee for Minister of Justice who was embroiled in various allegations, voluntarily stepping down, the Blue House has managed to overcome a critical personnel hurdle. However, another challenge immediately surfaced as Kim Jiyong, who was picked as the inaugural Director General of the Central Investigation Agency, is now under scrutiny. With just 12 days remaining until the launch of the Central Investigation Agency, there is strong backlash from some within the ruling party and its supporters, leaving the Blue House in a difficult position where neither pushing forward with his appointment nor withdrawing the nomination is easy.

Candidate for Director General of the Central Investigation Agency Kim Jiyong Yonhap News

Former nominee Kim Seungwon held a press conference at the National Assembly on September 19, announcing his voluntary resignation. This came just 20 days after his nomination on August 30. This also occurred a day after President Lee Jaemyung stated in a press conference on September 18 that he would "make a careful decision regarding Kim's appointment, taking into consideration public opinion." Former nominee Kim explained the background of his resignation, saying, "I humbly accept that I did not meet the expectations of the public" and "I thought I should not add even a small burden to the government."

From the Blue House's perspective, Kim's resignation has at least reduced the potential political burden that a forced appointment would have entailed. However, since Candidate Yong Hyein for Minister of Gender Equality and Family also stepped down, controversies over the personnel vetting process have not been fully resolved. Especially now, with the need to restart the selection of the Minister of Justice, the issue surrounding Kim Jiyong's nomination as Director General of the Central Investigation Agency adds another layer of complexity.

The immediate concern is the nomination of Kim Jiyong. On an MBC radio program the previous day, Senior Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yujeong said, "I understand that additional vetting is still underway for Kim, so it is difficult to specify the timing" and "we are being very thorough." She added, "Many people are sharing their views on this, and we are not disregarding those opinions; we are conducting further vetting on those points as well." This suggests that concerns about Kim Jiyong's nomination, including those raised by supporters, will not be excluded from consideration during the decision-making process.

Initially, Kim Jiyong's nomination was expected to proceed swiftly. Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung recommended him as the first Director General of the Central Investigation Agency on September 7, and the Blue House also planned to submit a request to the National Assembly for a confirmation hearing. However, after President Lee returned from his state visit to France and ordered additional vetting, the follow-up procedures were suspended. To date, the request for a confirmation hearing has not been submitted to the National Assembly.

Some members of the ruling party and its support base are strongly opposing Kim's nomination, focusing on his career as a prosecutor and past stance on prosecutorial reform. They question whether Kim, a former prosecutor who had opposed the reduction of prosecutorial investigative powers, is the right person to be the first head of the Central Investigation Agency, an institution symbolic of the separation of investigation and prosecution. The Blue House's decision to initiate a re-examination immediately after President Lee's return has been interpreted as a response to such opposition.

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The problem is that there is not much time left. The Central Investigation Agency will be officially launched on October 2, comprising the main office and six regional branches. The authorized personnel, including investigators, will number 2,874. Since September 15, the preparatory committee has been finalizing organizational structuring, including conducting a second round of special appointments for prosecutors and staff. Considering that the inaugural director must lead the early stabilization of both staffing and the investigative system, leaving the post vacant for a prolonged period is not a viable option.

On the other hand, pushing ahead with Kim Jiyong's nomination despite internal backlash within the ruling party would also be a burden for the Blue House. There are concerns that, while seeking the institutional completion of prosecutorial reform, clashing with core supporters over the appointment of the inaugural head of the new investigative institution could damage the symbolic significance of the reform. However, if the nomination is withdrawn after further vetting, the personnel vetting issue could resurface, following Kim Seungwon's previous resignation.

As a result, President Lee is expected to continue weighing his options. The selection of the Director General of the Central Investigation Agency is not just about appointing the head of a single institution; it is a complex equation involving the principles of prosecutorial reform, a stable launch of the new organization, and meeting the expectations of supporters. A source within the ruling party commented, "The issue of the Central Investigation Agency director nomination is different in nature from that of the Minister of Justice," and added, "After further fact-checking on the various claims, the request for a confirmation hearing will be sent to the National Assembly."

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