[Anchor]

As the broader ruling bloc remains divided over whether Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, was a "pro-Yoon" prosecutor, Kim denied the controversy at his confirmation hearing by asserting that former President Yoon Suk Yeol was the foremost "political prosecutor." The People Power Party criticized Kim as an opportunist, claiming his stance on the prosecution's supplementary investigative authority completely reversed from when he was serving as a prosecutor now that he has become the agency's chief nominee.

Our top story today, October 15, reported by Kim Kwan-jin.

[Reporter]

At yesterday's confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, nominee for head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, the "excessive force case involving prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong" took center stage.

Jeong was brought to trial and ultimately acquitted on charges of engaging in a physical scuffle while seizing the mobile phone of Han Dong-hoon, who was a senior prosecutor at the time, during the so-called "Channel A incident." Lawmaker Yoon Kun-young from the Democratic Party's pro-Moon faction criticized Kim, who served as deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office at the time, stating that while Kim claimed he opposed Jeong's indictment, he still signed off on it and made a "cowardly choice" during the fact-finding inquiry.

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

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crimes Investigation Agency: "I was opposed."]

[Yoon Kun-young / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "Then you should submit the materials showing that you opposed it."]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crimes Investigation Agency: "If I had been asked to submit supporting materials demonstrating my opposition, I naturally would have done so."]

Kim explained that his decision to join a 2020 collective statement opposing disciplinary measures against then-Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol was due to "procedural issues."

When asked to identify the "No. 1 political prosecutor," Kim gave this response:

[Park Duk-hyum / People Power Party Lawmaker: "There must be someone who comes to mind as an example of a political prosecutor, right?"]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crimes Investigation Agency: "Former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol would likely be the very first in terms of having a negative influence."]

Lawmakers belonging to the Democratic Party's pro-Myung faction came to Kim's defense, calling him a "principled, anti-Yoon prosecutor" and pointing out that he was transferred to a provincial post during the Yoon administration's first reshuffle.

[Chae Hyun-il / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "He was demoted to deputy chief prosecutor at the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office. The way I see it, he is anti-Yoon—definitely anti-Yoon."]

People Power Party lawmakers lashed out at Kim, calling him an "opportunist" for doing a complete 180-degree turn from four years ago, when he highlighted the negative repercussions of abolishing the prosecution's supplementary investigative authority as head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's criminal department.

[Kang Myung-gu / People Power Party Lawmaker: "(In the past) you also stated that supplementary investigative powers should be retained. You now think your perspective four years ago was mistaken, don't you? Was there a particular catalyst?"]

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of Serious Crimes Investigation Agency: "I was emphasizing that if supplementary investigative authority were abruptly abolished, gaps could emerge in victim protection."]

Regarding Lim Eun-jung, head of the Gwangju regional branch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency—who faces an internal inspection ordered by Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung after publicly criticizing Kim—the nominee drew a line against the likelihood of personnel action, saying, "I will cooperate with her to ensure the agency is managed well."

(Video by Park Seon-soo)