Kim Ji-yong: “I won’t bury investigations into those in power” ... Blueprint for an “Accountable Investigation System” and supplementary investigations

[Financial News] Kim Ji-yong, nominee to become the inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, reiterated his commitment to upholding the independence and neutrality of investigations, including in political cases. He outlined plans to introduce an “Accountable Investigation System” to prevent cases from dragging on and require investigators to follow cases through to their outcomes after referral, while also establishing supplementary investigations into crimes against socially vulnerable people as a core role of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
At a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee on the 14th, People Power Party lawmaker Kang Myeong-gu asked Kim whether his pledge to end the prosecution’s fishing-expedition-style investigations of the past meant that he intended to bury investigations into “those in power.” Kim replied, “Absolutely not.” Asked whether he could safeguard the independence and neutrality of investigations as the agency’s inaugural chief, he stressed, “I will absolutely prevent that.”
He also left open the possibility of establishing internal controls over the Minister of the Interior and Safety’s direction of specific cases. The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Act stipulates that the minister may generally direct and supervise the agency chief and its staff, but may direct and supervise only the chief in relation to specific cases.
When People Power Party lawmaker Seo Myeong-ok asked whether he intended to establish internal guidelines to control the minister’s intervention in political cases, Kim said, “There is already a system in place that can provide sufficient safeguards under the law.” He added, “If I become the agency chief, I will establish internal rules if they are needed.”
He also outlined an “Accountable Investigation System” to prevent cases from dragging on and investigations from being inadequate. Kim said he would use statistics to track, among other things, the status of long-running cases left unattended. “Referring a case just because you have concluded that the case you are handling constitutes a crime should not be the end of it,” he said. He added, “Investigators must be responsible for whether a case is indicted and, if it is, whether it results in a conviction.” He pledged, “I plan to implement the system rigorously and ensure clear rewards and penalties.”
He also identified supplementary investigations into seven major crimes against socially vulnerable people, including child abuse and domestic violence, as a key task for the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. “To prevent harm to the public, the agency responsible for supplementary investigations must fully carry out its role,” Kim said. “I will ensure that investigations by the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency are handled thoroughly enough that the Prosecution Service will not need to review them again.”
He also said that if the Prosecution Service requests supplementary investigations and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency fails to carry them out properly, “that is the agency’s responsibility.” His aim, he said, is to fill gaps in case handling that may arise after the separation of investigations and prosecutions with thorough investigations by the agency.
He denied allegations that he had previously quashed internal investigations or approved excessive prosecutions. Regarding Lim Eun-jung, chief of the Gwangju District Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, who publicly criticized him, he said they would share the goal of ensuring the agency’s successful establishment, but added, “I will make sure there is no collective action.” He also cited former President Yoon Suk Yeol and others as examples of political prosecutors from the past.
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter