Confirmation hearing held 37 days after Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung's nomination

Pro-Yoon label, opposition to prosecution reform cited by ruling-camp hardliners

Nominee says he has no particular personal ties to former President Yoon Suk Yeol

Kim Ji-yong, nominee for director of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, speaks to reporters at the Government Complex Seoul annex in Changseong-dong, where his confirmation hearing preparation office is located, on Thursday. [Yonhap]
Kim Ji-yong, nominee for director of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, speaks to reporters at the Government Complex Seoul annex in Changseong-dong, where his confirmation hearing preparation office is located, on Thursday. [Yonhap]

Kim Ji-yong, nominee for director of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, pledged Wednesday at his confirmation hearing — held 37 days after Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung submitted his nomination — that he would put human rights first in all investigations and ensure no innocent person suffers through the process, in keeping with the principle of separating investigation from indictment.

Speaking at the hearing before the National Assembly's Interior and Safety Committee, Kim said the agency, established as the fruit of criminal justice reform through the separation of investigative and prosecutorial powers, "must take firm root, realize judicial justice and fulfill its role of protecting the daily lives of the people." The hearing came roughly a month after Yun submitted the nomination on Sept. 7.

Kim said he would not repeat the practices that have drawn public concern in the past — targeted investigations, so-called "dust-shaking" fishing expeditions, and investigations conducted with indictment already assumed as the outcome. "I will investigate solely on the basis of evidence and legal principles," he said, "and if an investigation yields no finding of criminal conduct, I will not hesitate to close it decisively."

He also said he would build the agency into an investigative body with specialized expertise in serious crimes. "Insurrection, corruption, financial and economic crimes that threaten the lives, property and daily lives of the people, as well as drug and cybercrime and technology theft that drains national wealth, are growing ever more sophisticated," he said, adding that he would actively recruit experts and strengthen the agency's capabilities.

Kim also pledged to leave no gap in victim protection by conducting thorough supplementary investigations into crimes targeting society's most vulnerable. "My consistent conviction is that the criminal justice system exists to protect the lives and safety of the people, and there must not be even the slightest neglect in protecting victims," he said, adding that he was well aware of the public's high expectations for the agency's supplementary investigative role.

He also said he would safeguard the agency's political neutrality and independence. "I will ensure the agency is not swayed by outside pressure and investigates fairly, strictly according to law and principle," he said, adding that the agency would accept rigorous public scrutiny and operate under democratic oversight.

Since Kim's nomination, hardliners aligned with the ruling camp have kept up criticism, pointing to his role in the chain of command during the handling of the assault-by-abuse-of-authority case involving former prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung and the travel ban case involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui. Those issues were expected to be central at Wednesday's hearing as well. Kim has maintained that he expressed opposition to indicting Jeong because the circumstances made it difficult to establish intent, and that he also voiced opposition to indicting former presidential civil affairs secretary Lee Gwang-cheol in connection with the travel ban case.

Gwangju Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Director Im Eun-jeong has criticized Kim, saying that while he claims to have opposed the indictments of Jeong and Lee, he never formally submitted a written objection. In written responses submitted to the National Assembly ahead of the hearing, Kim said in response to that criticism that "there are various procedures for raising disagreements."

A separate allegation has also been raised that Kim failed to properly handle a complaint related to a sexual misconduct audit involving Jin Dong-gyun, a former prosecutor and brother-in-law of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon. Im said she filed a complaint in 2018 with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's First Audit Division, where Kim was then serving as a section chief, and that it was not properly addressed. Kim rebuffed the claim, saying he had informed the complainant that the matter would be reviewed after a fact-finding team completed its investigation.

Kim also participated in a joint statement by prosecutor-generals opposing the Justice Ministry's disciplinary proceedings against Yoon Suk Yeol when Yoon was serving as prosecutor general. Ruling-camp hardliners have used this to label him a "pro-Yoon prosecutor." Kim said the statement reflected frontline prosecutors-general expressing their views on "certain procedural irregularities" in the process leading to Yoon's suspension from duty and the disciplinary request. He has also said he has no particular professional or personal ties to the former president.

Ruling-camp hardliners have also called Kim an opponent of prosecution reform, citing a position he expressed in 2022 against the so-called "complete stripping of prosecutorial investigative powers" legislation. Kim said his concern at the time was with a bill that proposed full abolition without any victim protection measures, and that his current view is that the intent of the legislation should be respected now that the National Assembly has put victim protection provisions in place alongside it.

On Sunday, Yun announced he had ordered an audit of Director Im, who has publicly opposed Kim's nomination. The agency said it launched the audit the following day. Kim said he expects Im to stabilize the Gwangju office and resolve pending issues in her jurisdiction, and that if confirmed as director, he would work together with her to do his utmost to establish the agency and earn public trust.


bell@heraldcorp.com