615 Applications for Special Appointment to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Withdrawn, 1,761 Confirmed

[Financial News] The number of applicants for special appointment to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, which is set to launch on Oct. 2, has been finalized at 1,761. A total of 2,376 people had originally applied, but 615 later withdrew their applications. The government plans to secure the personnel needed for the launch through career hiring of outside experts such as police officers and lawyers, as well as additional special appointments.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 1st, the final number of applicants for special appointment to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, targeting prosecutors and investigators at the SPO, came to 1,761. Of the original 2,376 applicants, 615 withdrew their applications on Aug. 31, accounting for 25.9% of the total.
This special appointment process is part of efforts to secure personnel as the SPO is abolished and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is launched in October.
Prosecutors and investigative officers at the SPO may be appointed as civil servants under the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency without taking a separate exam if they wish to do so. The special appointment rule will remain in effect until April 30 next year. However, not all final applicants will necessarily be appointed to the agency.
The agency will have a total of 2,874 positions. Of these, 2,567, or 89.3%, will be investigators in charge of direct investigations and related duties. The remaining 307 will be general civil servants. It will operate with a headquarters and six regional offices in Seoul, Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju.
The government plans to fill any remaining vacancies through additional special appointments and career-based competitive hiring of outside experts.
The preparatory team for the launch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency said, "To ensure the Oct. 2 launch proceeds without disruption, we will carry out career-based competitive hiring of police officers, lawyers, accountants and patent attorneys, while also proceeding in parallel with additional special appointment procedures for civil servants from the SPO and the Prosecutors' Office."

[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter