Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to lead South Korea's newly created Major Crimes Investigation Agency, signaled plans to introduce an accountability system for investigators once in office.
"Not only for police but also for the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, I believe investigators should be held accountable all the way through to a conviction once they have determined a case involves criminal charges and referred it to prosecutors for indictment," Kim said at a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th. "I plan to enforce the accountability system strongly and to apply rewards and penalties clearly."
Kim also stressed that he would take the lead in protecting victims by carrying out supplementary investigations. Asked by Rep. Jin Jong-oh of the People Power Party who would bear responsibility if evidence disappears while agencies shift the burden of investigating, Kim said: "If the agency received a request for a supplementary investigation from the Public Prosecution Agency and failed to carry it out properly, I believe that is our responsibility." He added that the agency chief naturally bears responsibility as well. He also pledged to review long-pending unresolved cases, saying he would "provide statistics on cases that have been left unattended for an extended period."
On the agency's staffing, equipment and infrastructure, which still require work, Kim said he had been briefed that there have been no major problems so far. "I understand that staffing is at about 66% and physical infrastructure at about 60% to 70%," he said. "As for the Korea Information System of Criminal Justice Services, or KICS, intake, case assignment and transfers are possible, but handling cases through the system is still inadequate." He added: "Cases can be processed with paper records, so while there is the question of whether KICS can be used, I have been told that processing cases itself poses no significant problem."