SCIA in turmoil over its “first inspection”—of Lim Eun-jeong... leadership rift deepens

[Financial News] The Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), which launched before it was fully ready, has become embroiled in a leadership dispute before even beginning full-fledged investigations. One day after ordering an inspection of Lim Eun-jeong, chief of the Gwangju Regional SCIA, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung sent the agency an official letter, after which it began the inspection process. Concerns are mounting that tensions among the leadership will intensify ahead of the National Assembly confirmation hearing for SCIA chief nominee Kim Ji-yong on the 14th.
According to legal sources and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), Minister Yoon sent the SCIA an official letter that day requesting an inspection of Chief Lim. At the Government Complex Sejong that day, he said, “(Chief Lim) appears to have engaged in conduct unbecoming a senior SCIA official,” adding, “She is trying to exert influence by using her position as chief of the Gwangju Regional SCIA.”
Minister Yoon drew a distinction between Chief Lim’s recent remarks and her past raising of concerns within the prosecution. He added, “This has nothing whatsoever to do with what she did at the prosecution in the past as a so-called whistleblower,” and, “I ordered an inspection because her conduct appears unbecoming of a regional SCIA chief.”
The SCIA immediately began inspection procedures. Its headquarters said that after receiving Minister Yoon’s official inspection order regarding Chief Lim’s remarks that afternoon, it instructed Heo Seong-hwan, an inspection officer serving as acting inspector general, to conduct an inspection. The SCIA said, “We plan to conduct the inspection rigorously and swiftly, in accordance with the relevant laws and with the Inspector General’s Office at the center.”
An inspection leads to an “investigation.” Under the State Public Officials Act and the Decree on Disciplinary Actions Against Public Officials, the inspection investigation process begins once the MOIS minister’s official inspection order is received. If the findings indicate that disciplinary action is warranted, the SCIA asks MOIS to seek a disciplinary resolution. If the MOIS minister requests such a resolution, a disciplinary committee established under the Prime Minister decides Chief Lim’s case, as she is a Grade 5 official or higher. The appointing authority may also remove from post a person for whom a resolution on severe disciplinary action, such as dismissal or removal, is being sought.
Since Kim’s nomination, Chief Lim has publicly voiced her opposition through social media and other channels. She raised suspicions that in 2018, when Kim was serving as chief of Inspection Division 1 at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, he ignored a request for an inspection related to a sexual misconduct case involving former prosecutor Jin Dong-gyun. She also took issue with Kim’s response during the case involving the emergency travel ban on former Vice Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui.
Kim’s side maintains that, in the case involving former Vice Minister Kim, he clearly opposed an indictment at the time in his capacity as an aide. It says he was not the final decision-maker and opposed excessive measures during the investigation and prosecution. The team preparing for Kim’s confirmation hearing also rebutted the allegation that he ignored an inspection complaint, saying that day, “The inspection procedures were appropriately carried out based on the progress and findings of the fact-finding inquiry,” and, “The claim that an inspection complaint was ignored or handled improperly is untrue.”
Depending on the inspection findings and the severity of any disciplinary action, the matter could also lead to a lawsuit challenging the decision. While working at the prosecution in the past, Chief Lim sought an acquittal in a retrial involving a historical case, contrary to her superiors’ instructions, and received a four-month suspension; she ultimately won a lawsuit to overturn the disciplinary action. The legal issues are considered different in this case, since the concern is her public remarks on social media and elsewhere rather than her handling of a specific case.
There are also concerns within the SCIA that conflicts which have surfaced since its launch could hamper the agency’s stability. Seoul SCIA currently has 12 vacant division-chief posts and is operating with acting officials filling in. Complaints and accusations are still being received by hand, and many investigation divisions have yet to move beyond reviewing case files. Notifications from police that they have taken cognizance of some cases have also begun arriving, but whether the cases will actually be transferred is still under discussion.
There are concerns that the leadership dispute could add to the agency’s burden at a time when it needs to establish its staffing and investigative systems. A lawyer in Seocho-dong said, “Even though there are ways to raise concerns internally, continuing to criticize the first nominee for agency chief publicly could be viewed as political conduct,” adding, “The most worrying thing is that discord is already emerging at a fledgling agency that has yet to properly begin investigations.”
[email protected] Lee Bo-mi, Choi Eun-sol Reporter