Kim Ji-yong Calls Yoon Suk Yeol "Top Political Prosecutor," PPP Slams Nominee as "Opportunist"

[Anchor]

Nominee Kim Ji-yong stated that the prosecution in the past compromised its political neutrality, naming former President Yoon Suk Yeol as the "No. 1 political prosecutor." He also noted that it would be difficult to deny that Representative Han Dong-hoon was a political prosecutor as well. The People Power Party criticized the nominee as an "opportunist," pointing out that he made a complete turnaround after previously arguing that prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights should be retained.

Reporter Son Hyeong-an has the story.

[Reporter]

Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to lead the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, said regarding prosecution reform that the prosecution in the past compromised political neutrality and abused its investigative powers. When asked to name the "No. 1 political prosecutor," he offered this response.

[Park Duk-hyum / People Power Party Lawmaker: Surely there is someone you have in mind who could be designated as part of the political prosecution?]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crime Investigation Agency: I believe former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol would be at the very top in terms of exerting a negative influence.]

[Park Duk-hyum / People Power Party Lawmaker: Representative Han Dong-hoon would also be included, then. After all, they were the most closely connected.]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crime Investigation Agency: I think that would be difficult to deny.]

People Power Party lawmakers directly criticized Kim as an "opportunist," noting that four years ago, as head of the Criminal Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, he held a briefing outlining the negative consequences of abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers, yet has now reversed his stance 180 degrees.

[Kang Myung-koo / People Power Party Lawmaker: In the past, you said supplementary investigation powers should be preserved. You now believe your view from four years ago was wrong, correct? Was there any particular turning point?]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crime Investigation Agency: What I emphasized was that if supplementary investigation powers were abolished abruptly, there could be gaps in protecting victims.]

Conservative opposition lawmakers also pointed to the criticisms leveled against Kim by hardliners in the broader ruling camp supporting prosecution reform, arguing that "infighting within the ruling camp" had only delayed his National Assembly confirmation hearing.

[Park Sang-woong / People Power Party Lawmaker: Can someone use such extreme expressions—like being a secret agent, being like a Nazi war criminal, being like Eichmann—as Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae did in her criticism?]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crime Investigation Agency: I wonder if she made those remarks because of the weight and significance of this position.]

Regarding Lim Eun-jeong, head of the Gwangju Regional Serious Crime Investigation Agency, who was placed under inspection ordered by Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung after publicly criticizing him, Kim drew a line against potential personnel retaliation, saying, "I will cooperate with her to ensure smooth operations."

When asked whether he also views the prosecution's past investigations into cases related to President Lee Jae-myung as an abuse of prosecutorial power—a so-called "fishing expedition"—Kim avoided giving a direct answer, stating, "The Ministry of Justice is looking into the matter."

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan and Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Jang Hyeon-gi)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.