"Cowardly Choice" vs. "Principled Anti-Yoon": Ruling Bloc Divided

[Anchor]

The confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to lead the newly established Major Crimes Investigation Agency as its inaugural commissioner, was held today (October 14) at the National Assembly. Although the agency officially opened on October 2, the vetting of its inaugural chief took place only about a month after his nomination amid internal friction within the broader ruling bloc. Today, opinions remained sharply divided, with critics condemning Kim as a "pro-Yoon prosecutor" who made cowardly choices, while defenders shielded him as a "principled anti-Yoon figure."

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin has our first story.

[Reporter]

At today's confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, the nominee for commissioner of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, the "prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong abuse of authority and assault case" came under intense scrutiny.

Prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong was put on trial on charges of engaging in a physical altercation while attempting to seize the mobile phone of then-senior prosecutor Han Dong-hoon during the so-called "Channel A case," and was later acquitted. Representative Yoon Kun-young, a pro-Moon Jae-in lawmaker of the Democratic Party, argued that when the decision to indict prosecutor Jeong was being made, nominee Kim—who was serving as deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office at the time—approved the indictment despite claiming he had opposed it, and thus made a "cowardly choice" even during the subsequent fact-finding probe.

[Rep. Yoon Kun-young / Democratic Party: "You said you opposed it."]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Commissioner of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "I did oppose it."]

[Rep. Yoon Kun-young / Democratic Party: "Then you should submit documents proving your opposition."]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Commissioner of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "If I had been asked to submit supporting evidence that I opposed it, I naturally would have."]

Representative Jeong Chun-saeng of the Rebuilding Korea Party also leveled sharp criticism, claiming that nominee Kim shares responsibility for indicting former presidential secretary Lee Kwang-cheol on charges of involvement in barring former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui from leaving the country—an indictment from which Lee was acquitted by the Supreme Court—during Kim's tenure as head of the Criminal Affairs Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

[Rep. Jeong Chun-saeng / Rebuilding Korea Party: "It was an excessive prosecution that resulted in a full acquittal by the Supreme Court. Do you admit this?"]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Commissioner of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "Yes, I admit it."]

[Rep. Park Joo-min / Democratic Party: "You could be described as an accomplice to political prosecutors."]

Nominee Kim also explained that his decision to put his name on the chief prosecutors' joint statement in 2020 opposing disciplinary action against then-Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol was due to "procedural issues."

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Commissioner of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "I determined there was an issue with the procedure, so I was pointing that out."]

Pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmakers in the Democratic Party defended Kim as a "principled anti-Yoon prosecutor," citing his demotion to a regional post during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's initial round of personnel reshuffles.

[Rep. Chae Hyun-il / Democratic Party: "You were demoted to deputy chief prosecutor of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office. In my view, you are anti-Yoon, truly anti-Yoon."]

[Rep. Park Jeong-hyun / Democratic Party: "I honestly don't understand why this (pro-Yoon) label was attached to him."]

Although Cheong Wa Dae and the Democratic Party leadership urged restraint, opposition to Kim's appointment from hardliners on prosecution reform within the broader ruling bloc was formalized through today's confirmation hearing, signaling that internal discord is set to persist.

Reported by Oh Young-choon and Kim Yong-woo | Video by Lee Seung-jin
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.