"Kim Ji-hoon, Nominee for Head of Serious Crime Investigation Agency, Opposes Indictment Related to Kim Hak-ui's Exit Ban"... Refutes 'Pro-Yoon' Controversy

[Financial News] As the controversy surrounding Kim Ji-hoon, the nominee for the first head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, over alleged "pro-Yoon and pro-prosecution" views continues, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) has stepped forward to provide a direct explanation. MOIS explained that nominee Kim opposed indictments in the case involving former Vice Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui's exit ban and Prosecutor Jin-Woong Jeong's abuse-of-authority case, while directing a reinvestigation into a case involving Yoon Suk Yeol's relatives after determining that the non-indictment decision was unjust.
Kim Min-jae, Vice Minister of the Interior and Safety and head of the preparatory team for the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, held a briefing at Government Complex Seoul on the 17th and disclosed the facts confirmed so far, stating, "As various questions and concerns have been raised about the nominee's past conduct and views on prosecution reform, we take the voices of the public very seriously."
First, he refuted allegations that nominee Kim approved an unwarranted indictment in the case involving former Vice Minister Kim Hak-ui's emergency exit ban. According to MOIS, three of the four people indicted in the case had already been indicted before nominee Kim took office as head of the Criminal Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea (SPO), which was in the case's chain of command.
MOIS explained that nominee Kim actually opposed indicting Lee Kwang-chul, the former senior secretary for civil affairs at Cheong Wa Dae, who was involved in the handling of the case. Vice Minister Kim said, "The nominee participated in discussions on whether to indict and clearly expressed his opposition," adding, "He was not the final decision-maker on the indictment."
The same was true of Prosecutor Jin-Woong Jeong's abuse-of-authority case, he explained. Although nominee Kim was in the indictment chain of command as deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul High Public Prosecutors' Office at the time, the investigation was already under way when he took office, and he opposed the indictment in his capacity as a staff member.
Shin Jun-ho, head of the personnel hearing preparation team, explained that nominee Kim had expressed opposition several times in both cases. In Prosecutor Jeong's case, Kim believed it would be difficult to indict him for abuse of authority, while in former Vice Minister Kim Hak-ui's case, he opposed the investigation team's view on the grounds that it was difficult to establish the illegality of the exit ban itself.
In response to Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor Im Eun-jeong's public question about whether nominee Kim had formally exercised his right to object in the case involving former Vice Minister Kim Hak-ui, Preparatory Team Leader Shin explained, "The prosecution's exercise of its right to object is not the only way," adding, "During the deliberative process involving several people, the nominee clearly presented his position several times."
He also explained nominee Kim's past participation in a statement calling for reconsideration of the suspension of Yoon Suk Yeol's duties and the request for disciplinary action. Vice Minister Kim said, "The nominee believed that Yoon Suk Yeol's conduct at the time could constitute misconduct, but judged that parts of the disciplinary procedure were improper, so he joined a statement calling for reconsideration of the suspension and disciplinary action."
MOIS instead disclosed that nominee Kim had directed a reinvestigation into a case involving Yoon Suk Yeol's relatives. When a complaint alleging malicious perjury that had been dismissed without indictment was appealed, nominee Kim reviewed the records and ordered a reinvestigation, determining that the reasons for the non-indictment were unclear and required further verification.
Shin said, "The rate at which the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea (SPO) typically orders reinvestigations is about 3%, and in practical terms it is closer to 1%, making this a very rare case," adding, "We understand that the reinvestigation was ordered after a close analysis of the facts and legal principles."
MOIS characterized nominee Kim's appointment as "effectively a demotion," noting that he was assigned as deputy chief prosecutor of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office—a position typically given to newly promoted chief prosecutors—in the first prosecution personnel reshuffle after the Yoon Suk Yeol administration took office. It added that some believe the handling of the case involving Yoon Suk Yeol's relatives influenced the appointment.
Regarding his past opposition to the so-called "complete separation of investigation and prosecution," he clarified that he did not oppose the separation of investigation and prosecution itself. MOIS explained that nominee Kim had been concerned that an investigative vacuum could arise if the system were changed without sufficient measures to protect socially vulnerable people and crime victims.
Vice Minister Kim said, "My argument that supplementary investigations were necessary stemmed from the concern and conviction that there must be no gap in protecting crime victims," adding, "It was not meant to suggest that prosecutors investigate better or that I distrust the police."
MOIS's unusual decision to step forward and provide a direct explanation on behalf of the nominee came as controversy surrounding him spread with the launch of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency approaching on October 2.
Vice Minister Kim said, "I hope the Serious Crime Investigation Agency will be launched without a vacancy in the agency head position." Regarding additional verification by the Presidential Office, he added, "I understand that it is being conducted separately. I expect that the additional verification will also confirm that the allegations raised so far do not correspond to the facts."
 
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