[Anchor]
The confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to serve as the inaugural head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, ended late last night (October 14) after lasting nearly 12 hours. Although the confirmation hearing report on nominee Kim was adopted by bipartisan agreement, the report is said to include strong opposing opinions not only from the People Power Party but also from the Rebuilding Korea Party.
Reporter Go Jeong-hyeon reports.
[Reporter]
In his closing remarks at the confirmation hearing that concluded late last night, nominee Kim Ji-yong pledged to faithfully implement the criminal justice reform principle of separating investigation and indictment if he becomes head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency.
[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency: "I will make every effort to protect the human rights of citizens during investigations and ensure that not the slightest negligence occurs in providing relief for crime victims."]
The People Power Party virtually expressed its opposition to the appointment, criticizing the proceedings as an absurd vetting hearing designed only to protect someone on their own side.
[Jang Dong-hyeok / Leader of the People Power Party: "Nominee Kim Ji-yong staged a tearful show of self-denial and pleaded for his loyalty to be recognized. Under these circumstances, which citizen would believe in his political neutrality?"]
The Rebuilding Korea Party—which relentlessly pressed nominee Kim throughout the hearing, asserting that he was involved in or failed to oppose overzealous indictments by prosecutors in the case of Senior Prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong's abuse of authority assault, which ended in an acquittal, as well as the travel ban case involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui—finalized its party platform opposing the appointment.
[Jeong Chun-saeng / Supreme Council Member of the Rebuilding Korea Party: "We have concluded that the nominee is not the right person to genuinely carry out prosecution reform."]
Nevertheless, the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee adopted the confirmation hearing report by bipartisan agreement this afternoon.
The report reportedly contains the Democratic Party's opinion finding him qualified, alongside dissenting opinions from both the People Power Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party deeming him unqualified.
In the report, the committee stated that nominee Kim "possesses the qualities and abilities necessary to perform his duties, considering his investigative expertise and organizational management capabilities," despite opposing views arguing that "the nominee took part in a joint statement opposing disciplinary action against former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol, and that appointing a former prosecutor risks perpetuating past prosecutorial investigation practices, making him unfit."
Cheong Wa Dae is expected to formally appoint Kim in the near future.
(Video by Jang Hyeon-gi)
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