Agency and police in talks over task force size, office space

The Serious Crime Investigation Agency headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]
The Serious Crime Investigation Agency headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]

The Serious Crime Investigation Agency has designated Kim Jeong-hwan, director of the anti-corruption investigation bureau at the Seoul branch of the agency, as its co-chief of a planned joint insurrection special investigation task force being organized with the Korean National Police Agency, The Herald Business has learned.

The agency decided to appoint Kim to lead its side of the joint task force, which will investigate remaining cases stemming from the Dec. 3 emergency martial law incident, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Kim, a former prosecutor and graduate of the 37th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, previously served as chief of the financial investigation division at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office and as a seconded prosecutor to a joint investigation unit probing collusion between politics and business. Police Superintendent General Kang Il-gu, who heads a dedicated team at the National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency handling cases transferred from three rounds of special prosecutor investigations, is being considered for the police side's co-chief post.

The Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the Korean National Police Agency have recently been in detailed talks on forming the insurrection task force. The two agencies are discussing organizational structure, co-chief appointments and the location of the task force's office. Under a plan being reviewed, both sides would each appoint their own chief — an unusual arrangement for a special joint body.

Earlier, Kwon Chang-young, the special prosecutor leading the second comprehensive special investigation, announced the final results of the probe in August and called for a joint multi-agency task force to conduct systematic, long-term investigations into remaining cases. It was also reported in September that President Lee Jae Myung was reviewing a directive to establish such a task force.

The Serious Crime Investigation Agency, which falls under the Ministry of Interior and Safety, and the Korean National Police Agency have been in ongoing consultations to form the task force. The two agencies plan to continue discussions on staffing size and office arrangements.

In legal circles, cases expected to fall under the task force's purview include the notebook of former Defense Intelligence Command chief Noh Sang-won — considered a potential smoking gun containing evidence of martial law preparations — and a series of meetings held at a safe house. The Democratic Party of Korea and other pro-government parties have called for an investigation into Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae's whereabouts during the martial law declaration.


bell@heraldcorp.com