[2026 Audit] Yoon Hojung Responds to Lim Eunjeong's Criticism of Investigation Agency's Preparation: "Not Sure What She Verified"

Director Lim: "Normal Operations Impossible" on First Day at Work

Minister Yoon: "Will Instruct Deputy Chief to Communicate Properly"

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Interior and Safety, responded to comments from Lim Eunjeong, head of the Gwangju High-profile Crime Investigation Agency, regarding the agency’s lack of preparedness by saying, "I am not sure to what extent she has checked and is speaking."

During the audit of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee on October 6, Minister Yoon made this remark to Assemblyman Park Deokhum of the People Power Party, who inquired about Lim’s comments, saying, “I will make sure to instruct the deputy chief of the investigation agency to communicate properly.”

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung is taking an oath as a witness during the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee hearing on the 6th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Earlier in the morning, Director Lim told reporters on her way to work at the Gwangju High-profile Crime Investigation Agency that “The agency was opened without sufficient preparation, so it is impossible to operate normally at this point.” She particularly emphasized, “For investigative agencies, security is paramount; simply having desks and people in a large space does not constitute a real system,” adding, “In my opinion, normal operations cannot be expected within a month or two.”

She also noted instability within the organization. Lim explained, “When I first arrived for work on Friday, I confirmed that no budget had been allocated, leaving everyone in a state of confusion,” and “even senior officials at grade 5 or higher were only notified of their assignments the day before the agency opened, on Thursday, and the organizational chart was not ready even when we opened.”

Currently, the Gwangju High-profile Crime Investigation Agency does not have official residences prepared for employees transferred from other regions, and neither the existence nor the scale of rental support for them has been determined. As a result, many senior officials will have to stay in hotels or temporary accommodations for the time being. With neither the organization nor the system firmly established, confusion continues in the process of case handover and investigative work. The agency also has yet to determine the full volume of cases to be transferred from the Public Prosecutors’ Office. Given its role as a regional organization, residents from distant areas such as North Jeolla Province and Jeju are expected to face inconvenience having to travel to Gwangju for investigations.

Regarding criticism over the vacancy in the agency's leadership, Minister Yoon stated earlier that morning, “I apologize.” He added, regarding the delay in requesting a personnel hearing, “We tried to complete the hearing and appointment procedures before the agency’s launch, but it was not possible,” and continued, “I apologize once again for submitting the hearing request late.”

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