The Major Crimes Investigation Agency on the 19th conducted a forensic examination of the office computer of Lim Eun-jung, head of its Gwangju regional office, launching a full-scale internal audit of an official who has publicly criticized Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to lead the agency.
Officials from the agency's inspection office visited the Gwangju regional office that afternoon and carried out forensic work on Lim's work computer, according to legal sources. The visit came four days after Heo Sung-hwan, the inspection officer serving as acting inspector general, met with Lim on the 15th.
The officials spent about an hour imaging Lim's computer — a process that copies the entire contents of a digital storage device — before leaving, sources said.
Lim is under investigation over allegations of violating Article 42 of the agency's governing law, which bars political involvement, after publicly criticizing Kim through social media and other channels. Lim has taken issue with Kim's handling of cases during his time as a prosecutor, including allegations that Kim ignored requests for an investigation and inspection into a suspected cover-up of a sexual assault case involving former prosecutor Jin Dong-kyun, the brother-in-law of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, while Kim headed the Supreme Prosecutors' Office inspection division. She also criticized Kim's approval of the indictment of prosecutor Jung Jin-woong, who faced charges of abuse of authority and assault involving Han, then a chief prosecutor, as well as his handling of the case over the overseas travel ban imposed on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui.
The agency's headquarters opened the inspection on the 12th at the direction of Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Ho-jung, examining whether Lim breached civil servants' duties to maintain political neutrality and dignity. Yoon said the order was "to examine whether this amounted to political action using one's position."
On the morning of the 19th, a day after the meeting, Lim visited the May 18th National Cemetery and other sites and said: "If Kim Ji-yong does something wrong, I will not hold back on criticism and candid advice, just as I have done until now."