Ruling party doubts persist over Kim Ji-yong nomination as hearing begins
In short
National Assembly confirmation procedures have begun for Kim Ji-yong, nominated to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, reviving attention to the ruling camp's internal fight over prosecution reform. President Lee Jae-myung has publicly rejected hardliners' description of Kim as a “pro-Yoon prosecutor” and sent the confirmation request to parliament, effectively starting the appointment process. Some ruling-party figures say doubts have largely been sorted out, but others, including Rep. Kim Yong-min, still oppose the nomination and question whether Kim will show real reform intent at the hearing.
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National Assembly confirmation hearing procedures for Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, have begun, Yonhap reported, reviving attention to the direction of the ruling camp's internal dispute over prosecution reform. President Lee Jae-myung directly rebutted hardliners who call Kim a “pro-Yoon prosecutor” and sent the confirmation request to the National Assembly, effectively starting the appointment process, according to Yonhap. [ 1 ]
Lee has pressed his position over several days, Yonhap reported: on 30 September he said forced claims made while knowing they are false obstruct state affairs; on 1 October he asked how other prosecutors-turned-lawmakers would fare if all former prosecutors were discarded; and on 2 October he said it was at least difficult to conclude Kim is pro-Yoon. Yonhap said many in the ruling camp judge that the hardliners' grounds have weakened, because the presidential office accepted their objections, carried out additional verification and concluded there were no problems. [ 1 ]
Signs of a settling phase have appeared. A party official told Yonhap by phone on 4 October that doubts about Kim could be sufficiently resolved at the hearing and that he should be assessed after hearing his explanations. Rep. Park Ji-won said on Facebook the same day that Rep. Kim Yong-min, described as a hardliner, had said he would respect the party's decision even while opposing it, and proposed a full party meeting, unlimited debate and a vote. Rep. Seo Young-kyo told reporters at the National Assembly that many concerns had been “largely sorted out” and that the party should follow the president's and the ruling party's direction. Yonhap also noted Lee's four-hour dinner with former party leader Chung Chung-rae on 1 October, seen as a move toward internal unity, and criticism inside the camp that author Yoo Si-min went too far in saying Lee had “deceived the people” over prosecution reform. [ 1 ]
Opposition to the nomination has not disappeared. Rep. Kim Yong-min told a press conference in front of the Seoul public prosecution service on 2 October, the day it was launched, that the nominee is a person who has opposed prosecution reform, had held a press conference against reducing prosecutors' investigative powers and had publicly vowed to file a constitutional competence dispute. Rep. Park Joo-min, a member of the assembly committee handling the hearing, said on radio that if Kim is found unqualified he would voice the view that he is unsuitable for appointment. Seoul Shinmun said skepticism about Kim remains despite the president's persuasion and asked whether the ruling party's conflict will break out at the confirmation hearing. [ 1 , 2 ]
Yonhap reported that concerns also remain that the hearing could widen the internal rift rather than close it, since hardliners and members of the assembly committee handling the hearing still have doubts and opposition could grow if Kim does not demonstrate sufficient commitment to prosecution reform. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The dispute is inside the governing camp rather than between government and opposition, so the confirmation hearing will test whether President Lee can hold his party together on prosecution reform, a signature issue. Yonhap reported that party members see both a path to settling the conflict and a risk that the hearing inflames it; Seoul Shinmun framed the same question as whether the party's discord will surface at the hearing.
Key facts
- National Assembly confirmation hearing procedures have begun for Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, according to Yonhap. [ 1 ]
- President Lee Jae-myung sent the confirmation request for Kim to the National Assembly, rejecting hardliners' characterization of him as a “pro-Yoon prosecutor.” [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reported that many in the ruling camp judge the hardliners' grounds have weakened because the presidential office accepted their objections, ran additional verification and concluded there were no problems. [ 1 ]
- Ruling party officials and lawmakers, including Rep. Park Ji-won and Rep. Seo Young-kyo, said on 4 October that doubts over Kim had been largely sorted out and that the party should follow the president's direction. [ 1 ]
- Rep. Kim Yong-min said at a 2 October press conference that the nominee had opposed prosecution reform, had opposed reducing prosecutors' investigative powers and had vowed to seek a constitutional competence dispute. [ 1 ]
- Rep. Park Joo-min, a member of the assembly committee handling the hearing, said on radio he would raise the view that Kim is unsuitable if he is found to be unqualified. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Shinmun said skepticism about Kim remains despite President Lee's persuasion and asked whether the ruling party's conflict will break out at the confirmation hearing. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the confirmation hearing will settle the ruling camp's internal dispute or intensify it. Yonhap presents both possibilities — that the conflict is moving into a settling phase and that opposition voices could grow — without concluding which will happen.
- What the presidential office's additional verification of Kim covered and what it found. Yonhap says the office accepted the hardliners' objections, conducted further verification and concluded there were no problems, but does not detail the verification.
- Whether Kim will ultimately be appointed. Yonhap reports the president has effectively entered the appointment procedure while hardliners remain skeptical; the outcome is not stated in the documents.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap publishes its report that confirmation hearing procedures for Kim Ji-yong have begun and that the ruling camp's conflict over prosecution reform is again drawing attention. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Shinmun publishes a summary saying skepticism about Kim remains despite President Lee's persuasion and asking whether the ruling party's conflict will surface at the hearing. [ 2 ]