Serious Crimes Investigation Agency embroiled in internal strife from the outset: Yoon Ho-jung says “Order an inspection,” while Lim Eun-jung says “I’ll handle it well”

[Financial News] Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung said on the 11th that he would order an inspection into Lim Eun-jung, chief of the Gwangju Regional Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, who has publicly criticized Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to become the inaugural head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency. This would be the first effective exercise of supervisory authority by the interior minister since the agency’s launch. Lim, for her part, said, “I’ll handle it well,” and cited a past victory in a lawsuit to overturn a severe disciplinary action by the prosecution, making clear that she had no intention of retracting her remarks or backing down. The agency thus appears to be facing internal strife before its organization is even fully established.
Yoon said on his X account that day that he planned to instruct the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency to begin an inspection into Lim. “Chief Lim seems to mistake the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency for a political organization rather than an investigative one,” he said. “Many people are concerned to see an official of an agency established to uphold justice in our society preoccupied with ‘nitpicking’ the agency chief nominee.” He added, “I’m concerned that the prosecution’s problematic practices, such as political interference and collective action, may be carried over to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.”
Yoon stressed that the nominee for agency chief would be vetted in accordance with the Constitution and the law by the president, who has the authority to appoint, and the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, which is responsible for confirmation hearings. He also said that enforcing discipline in response to conduct unbecoming of senior public officials and inconsistent with the agency’s mission is part of prosecution reform.
The plan to order the inspection came as Lim had been publicly opposing Kim’s appointment as the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
On the 5th, Lim wrote on Facebook, “The first chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency will be its first investigator,” criticizing Kim and adding, “Someone who should serve as a cautionary example must not be the first.” On her way to work on the 6th, she also raised concerns about Kim, saying, “It is becoming clear to some extent that Kim was involved in the chain of command in various unsavory incidents on several occasions.”
Lim had served as chief of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office before applying for a special appointment to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and taking office as chief of the Gwangju Regional Serious Crimes Investigation Agency on the 4th. After Yoon’s plan to order an inspection became known, Lim wrote on Facebook, “While I was on my way to Gwangju, calls came pouring in, and I learned the news about the inspection order. I’m driving and can’t answer the phone, so I’ll briefly share my position from a rest stop.” She added, “It is very regrettable and sad that I have become the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency’s first inspection target, though not as regrettable as the fact that its inaugural chief nominee is former prosecutor Kim Ji-yong.” Lim also cited her experience of being severely disciplined while at the prosecution service after challenging a superior’s instruction, and later winning a lawsuit to overturn the disciplinary action.
She said that in December 2012, she exercised her right to object to a superior who had instructed prosecutors to make a blank sentencing recommendation in a past-history retrial case, and posted a “disciplinary petition” on the prosecution’s internal network, for which she was severely disciplined on grounds including damage to her dignity. She added that she won a lawsuit to overturn the disciplinary action, helping establish procedural rules for exercising the right to object and improve the unlawful practice of making blank sentencing recommendations in past-history retrial cases. “As the first inspection target at the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, I’ll do my best to handle this well with a sense of duty,” Lim said.
[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter