Public Nomination for First Commissioner of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Ends Today... What Qualities Should the Agency's First Leader Have?

[Financial News] Public nominations for the first commissioner of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, which is set to launch in October, will close on the 26th. As attention focuses on who will lead the new investigative body of about 2,800 people, legal circles say the agency's first chief must have both experience handling major cases and the ability to command an organization. In particular, they say the early priority should not be to produce results immediately, but to identify which cases are worth pursuing and to manage a workforce made up of people from different backgrounds.
According to legal sources on the 26th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) will accept public nominations for candidates for commissioner until 6 p.m. that day. Eligible candidates must have at least 15 years of experience in investigation- or law-related work. If the minister of the interior and safety presents suitable nominees to the candidate recommendation committee by the deadline, the committee will recommend at least three qualified candidates. The minister then submits the nomination, the National Assembly holds a confirmation hearing, and the president makes the appointment.
Legal experts note that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) went through trial and error in personnel appointments, case allocation, and organizational management soon after its launch in 2021. For that reason, they say the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency needs a first leader who understands the nature of an investigative agency.
A lawyer who previously worked in a prosecution intelligence investigation unit said, "For serious crimes such as corruption and economic offenses, which the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency will handle, the number of cases is not what matters most, because these cases have major social impact." He added, "What is needed is the judgment to determine which cases truly deserve investigation by weighing the need for an inquiry, the likelihood of punishment, and the possibility of securing evidence."
He added, "If the agency rushes to show early results and starts with politically prominent cases, then sees warrants rejected or ends up with acquittals, the entire organization could be shaken." He stressed that leadership that stays grounded and does not get swayed by outside pressure is essential.
Another key task for the first commissioner is internal coordination within the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. That is because prosecutors, police officers, lawyers, and specialists in accounting, finance, and cyber fields will all work together in one organization, requiring a balance between rank and actual investigative experience.
Han Sang-hee, emeritus professor at Konkuk University Law School, said, "At the beginning, the priority should be to properly settle a large organization, rather than to produce eye-catching investigative results." He added, "Regardless of whether they come from the Prosecution Service or the National Police Agency, the agency should assess each person's abilities, place them where they fit best, and distribute authority properly. That is the starting point of organizational harmony."
He also predicted that "a major challenge will be how to fill the middle layer of personnel who will lead day-to-day work between team leaders and rank-and-file investigators, and how to coordinate different ranks and career backgrounds."
A former CIO official also said, "In the end, an investigative agency is first and foremost about its people." He added, "The direction of investigations can change depending on who is appointed not only as commissioner, but also as deputy commissioner and heads of each investigative division." He explained that it is especially important for the person in charge of assigning cases to fully understand investigative practice.
Defining roles with outside agencies is another challenge. The professor said, "What the commissioner of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency must do is not only organize the agency, but also consult with the National Office of Investigation and the Public Prosecution Office to define the boundaries of each office's responsibilities." He emphasized that the position requires not only internal leadership, but also the ability to negotiate externally.
 
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter