Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to become the first head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, said on the 14th that former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk-yeol was the political prosecutor who had the most damaging effect on the prosecution service.
Kim made the remark at a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee that morning, responding to a question from Rep. Park Deok-hyum of the People Power Party asking who he would name as the foremost political prosecutor. "In my view, former Prosecutor General Yoon would be the first when it comes to having a damaging effect," Kim said. When Park pressed further on whether independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon also belonged in that category, Kim replied, "It would be difficult to deny." Asked whether he viewed the prosecution service as having ills and being a target for reform, he said, "Various ills have come to light, and there are problems."
Kim repeatedly distanced himself from allegations raised by hardliners in the ruling bloc and elsewhere that he is a "pro-Yoon prosecutor." "I am well aware of the criticism and take it seriously," Kim said. "But I take pride in having handled cases on principle without leaning toward any political orientation, and I do not believe I am unfit to run the agency." He also indicated that he does not think the post of agency chief should hinge on whether someone is pro-Yoon.
Ruling party lawmakers kept up their criticism and scrutiny throughout the hearing. Rep. Park Ju-min of the Democratic Party of Korea raised the case of former senior prosecutor Jung Jin-woong, who was charged with abuse of authority and assault, and said: "The nominee has said he opposed the indictment at the time, but it needs to be verified whether he actually registered an objection and whether he signed off on it." Rep. Yoon Gun-young of the Democratic Party also criticized Kim's manner of answering as "cowardly." Rep. Park Jung-hyun of the Democratic Party said, "Documents have not been properly submitted, and the attitude toward the National Assembly follows exactly the old practices of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office." She added, "If this state of affairs is tolerated, the agency will be nothing more than 'Prosecution Office Season 2.'"
Kim's participation in a 2020 joint statement calling for the withdrawal of the disciplinary action that suspended Yoon from duty as prosecutor general also came under scrutiny. When Rep. Lee Kwang-hee of the Democratic Party asked whether it had been appropriate to join the statement, Kim said, "I think it was appropriate at the time." Asked how he viewed the conduct of Lim Eun-jung, head of the Gwangju regional serious crimes investigation office, who has been pushing back against those with appointment authority, Kim said, "Lim's actions and what I did at the time are different situations."