The Democratic Party of Korea recommended Choi Gil-su, an attorney at Law Firm Basis, as a candidate for special inspector. Earlier, the People Power Party recommended Kang Ji-sik, an attorney at Law Firm Baeksong, as a candidate in Apr. Lee Jae-myung, the president, will appoint one of three people in total, including the candidate recommended by the Korean Bar Association, as the special inspector.
Han Byeong-do, acting Democratic Party leader and floor leader, held a press briefing at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 31st and said, "The Democratic Party recommends attorney Choi Gil-su as a candidate for special inspector," adding, "Choi served in the special investigations unit at the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office and as head of the Andong branch of the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and worked in the inspection division at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office. He is an expert who is neutral, fair, and ensures objectivity."
He went on, "He is a figure with the capacity to faithfully carry out the core duty of the special inspector, which is to prevent and strictly inspect misconduct by senior public officials, and his political neutrality and independence have also been verified," introducing him as "a person whom the Bareunmirae Party, then an opposition party under the Moon Jae-in administration in 2019, recommended as one of the three floor negotiation bloc candidates for special inspector."
The special inspector is an independent body that inspects misconduct by the president's spouse and relatives within the fourth degree, and by public officials at or above the senior secretary level in the presidential office. However, after Lee Seok-su, the first special inspector appointed under the Park Geun-hye administration, stepped down, no successor was appointed.
The Democratic Party also plans to receive recommendations from the Korean Bar Association and complete the confirmation hearing by the regular National Assembly session in Sep. It is reported that it has also agreed with the People Power Party to expedite the appointment of the special inspector.
The floor leader said, "President Lee has said multiple times that oversight of power must be achieved through institutions, and we were preparing internally as well," adding, "Volunteering for checks first shows the president's firm resolve to be stricter with himself than anyone else."