[Anchor]

Amid criticism that it undermines political neutrality, Kim Ji-yong, head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, attended today's (October 20) Cabinet meeting. While President Lee Jae-myung called for thorough investigations without any sacred cows, the People Power Party sharply urged the agency to properly investigate Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party first.

Kim Jin-u reports.

[Reporter]

A Cabinet meeting was held this morning at Cheong Wa Dae, presided over by President Lee Jae-myung.

Since the official launch of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency on October 2, the acting head had attended the meeting twice. Today, Kim Ji-yong, the inaugural head of the agency who received his letter of appointment yesterday (October 19), attended in person.

This marks the first time that the official head of an investigative agency has attended a Cabinet meeting since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

President Lee urged Chief Kim to "relieve public concern and anxiety over prosecution reform."

[President Lee Jae-myung: "Please prove to the public the raison d'être and necessity of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency by mobilizing all investigative resources to crack down strictly without taking sides and without any sacred cows."]

[Kim Ji-yong / Head of Major Crimes Investigation Agency: "I will do my best to successfully establish the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, complete prosecution reform, and protect the rights and interests of the public. Thank you."]

However, regarding the agency head's attendance at Cabinet meetings, the opposition has criticized the move for compromising political neutrality and investigative independence, pointing out that even the prosecutor general did not attend in the past.

In response, President Lee pushed back during a Cabinet meeting on October 13, stating that "national administration is naturally under the jurisdiction of the president and the prime minister," and arguing that there is no problem because he does not intervene in individual cases.

Nevertheless, controversy has persisted. The civic group People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) issued a statement on October 16 saying that "regular attendance at Cabinet meetings by heads of related agencies, such as the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Agency, should be refrained from and avoided."

Chief Kim pledged on his way to work yesterday to "put an end to the politicization of investigations." However, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok said today, "Before the ink on his appointment letter is even dry, Chief Kim attended a Cabinet meeting, making it look as though politics is turning into an investigation rather than ending the 'politicization of investigations,'" and demanded that allegations concerning Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party be properly investigated first.

(Camera by Jeong Sang-bo | Video Editing by Jang Hyeon-gi | Graphics by Choi Jae-young)