Korean minister says he will order inquiry into agency chief over nominee criticism
In short
Interior minister Yun Ho-jung (윤호중) said on October 11 that he would order an internal inquiry into Im Eun-jeong (임은정), head of the Gwangju serious-crime investigation office. Im has publicly criticized Kim Ji-yong (김지용), the nominee to lead the national agency.
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South Korean interior minister Yun Ho-jung (윤호중) said on October 11 that he would direct the serious-crime investigation agency to begin an internal inquiry into Im Eun-jeong (임은정), who heads its Gwangju office. Im has publicly criticized Kim Ji-yong (김지용), the nominee to become the agency's first national chief. Yun announced the planned instruction in a post on X, saying Im appeared to be confusing an investigative institution with a political institution. His quoted statement concerned an instruction he would issue; the reports do not provide inquiry findings. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Im had criticized Kim publicly since October 6, her first day at the Gwangju office. She alleged that he had approved past improper matters. Im asked the National Assembly to call her as a witness at Kim's confirmation hearing scheduled for October 14, but the request was unsuccessful. On October 8, she wrote on Facebook that she was disappointed and that history would record and evaluate her failure to be selected even as a reference witness because of Democratic Party opposition, the newspaper reported. [ 9 ]
Yun said many people were concerned about a senior official focusing on criticism of the nominee at an institution intended to address public corruption and economic, cyber and drug crimes. He said he worried that past prosecutorial practices involving political intervention and collective action might carry over to the new agency. He argued that verification of the nominee should be conducted by the president and National Assembly under the constitution and law. Reports also cited Article 6 of the agency's organization and operation law, which gives the interior minister general supervisory authority over its chief and staff, while limiting supervision in specific cases to the national chief. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
Why it matters
Yun said scrutiny of the nominee should be handled by the president and National Assembly under the constitution and law. He framed internal discipline as part of prosecution reform and criticized what he described as political conduct by an agency official.
Key facts
- Yun announced on X that he would instruct the agency to begin an inquiry into Im. [ 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Im began publicly criticizing Kim on October 6, her first day at the Gwangju office. [ 9 ]
- Im sought to appear at Kim's October 14 confirmation hearing but was not selected, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the internal inquiry has begun and what findings it may produce. Yun's quoted statement says he will order an inquiry; the documents provide no findings or confirmation of its commencement.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kyunghyang Shinmun's October 11 report detailed Yun's statement and Im's earlier objections. [ 9 ]