[Anchor]

The confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to serve as the inaugural head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, concluded last night (October 14) after running for nearly 12 hours. While the confirmation hearing report on Kim is expected to be adopted, it is likely to include strong dissenting opinions from the Rebuilding Korea Party and the People Power Party.

Reporter Go Jeong-hyeon has the details.

[Reporter]

In his closing remarks at the confirmation hearing that ended late last night, nominee Kim Ji-yong pledged that if he becomes head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, he will faithfully implement the criminal justice reform principle of separating investigation and prosecution.

[Kim Ji-yong / Nominee for Head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "I will make every effort to protect the public's human rights during the investigation process and ensure that there is not the slightest neglect in redressing the rights of crime victims."]

The People Power Party indicated its de facto opposition to his appointment, claiming the hearing ended up as an absurd vetting process intended merely to protect an ally.

[Jang Dong-hyeok / Leader of the People Power Party: "Nominee Kim Ji-yong put on a pathetic show of self-denial and pleaded for his loyalty to be recognized. In this situation, which citizen would believe in his political neutrality?"]

The Rebuilding Korea Party, which persistently pressed Kim throughout the hearing by asserting that he was involved in or did not oppose excessive prosecutions by the prosecution service—including the assault while on duty case involving Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-woong and the travel ban case involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui, both of which resulted in acquittals—officially confirmed its party stance to oppose his appointment.

[Jeong Chun-saeng / Supreme Council Member of the Rebuilding Korea Party: "We have concluded that the nominee is not the right person to sincerely carry out prosecution reform."]

However, the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee is expected to adopt the confirmation hearing report on Kim sometime today.

This is because the Democratic Party of Korea plans to lead the adoption of the report with an opinion of suitability, as Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young, who had criticized Kim as cowardly during the hearing, stepped back by saying, "It is entirely the President's time."

Seong Gi-hong, Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Communication, appeared on a radio program and stated that no disqualifying issues were found during the hearing, adding that the National Assembly will appropriately decide on the adoption of the confirmation report.

[Seong Gi-hong / Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Communication (CBS 'Park Seong-tae's News Show'): "Any potential flaws or grounds for disqualification were explained so well (during the confirmation hearing) that it is hard to point any out."]

If the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee adopts the report today, it is expected to include dissenting opinions of unsuitability from the People Power Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party.

Video by Jang Hyeon-gi