The National Assembly confirmation hearing for Kim Jee-yong, nominee to head the newly created Major Crime Investigation Agency, ended after about 11 hours and 30 minutes. The Public Administration and Security Committee plans to adopt a report on the hearing on the 15th with agreement from both the ruling and opposition parties.
The committee began the hearing at 10:07 a.m. on the 14th and wrapped up questioning at about 9:41 p.m. Kim Young-jin of the Democratic Party of Korea, who chairs the committee, declared the hearing closed and urged the nominee to "walk the first path well as the inaugural head of the agency and set up signposts that the next chief can follow." He added that "under an agreement between the floor negotiators of both parties, the hearing report will be adopted tomorrow, the 15th, before the parliamentary audit of Seoul begins."
As the hearing concluded, Kim pledged to uphold the principle of separating investigation from prosecution and to put the new agency on a firm footing quickly. In his closing remarks, he promised that "if given the opportunity to serve as head of the Major Crime Investigation Agency, I will faithfully implement the criminal justice reform principle of separating investigation and prosecution, respond sternly to crimes that destroy the lives, property and safety of the people, and carry out the roles and functions entrusted to the agency."
He also said he would "work to protect the human rights of citizens during investigations and to leave no shortcoming in providing remedies for the rights of crime victims," adding that he would "take each of the committee members' comments seriously and make up for any shortcomings."
The hearing featured sustained clashes over Kim's past record and his political neutrality. Lawmakers from the pro-government bloc raised allegations that he had been a "pro-Yoon" prosecutor, citing his conduct during his time at the prosecution service, and pressed him on his fitness for the post. Some ruling party lawmakers, however, defended him, classifying him as an "anti-Yoon" figure on the grounds that he had clashed with the former administration. People Power Party lawmakers, meanwhile, went on the political offensive by probing the conflicting views and friction within the governing bloc over the nominee's vetting.