Kim Ji-yong, a former chief prosecutor and now an attorney at Apex Law, has been tapped as the inaugural candidate to lead the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Kim is regarded as an expert in special investigations and criminal cases, having received a commendation for the "best special investigation case of the year" during his time in the prosecution.
According to legal sources on the 7th, Kim, born in 1968, is from Buyeo, South Chungcheong, and graduated from Gongju National University High School and the law school of Sungkyunkwan University. After completing the 28th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute in 1999, Kim was appointed a prosecutor at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office and went on to serve at the Gangneung Branch of the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the Mokpo Branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, and as a researcher at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
Kim then served as deputy chief prosecutor at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, head of the Yeongdeok Branch of the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, chief of the special investigations department at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and head of external cooperation at the Legal Research and Training Institute, before becoming chief of the second trial division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, chief of the first inspection division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, head of the Busan Western District Prosecutors' Office, and first deputy chief prosecutor at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office. After being promoted to chief prosecutor, Kim served as deputy chief at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, head of the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office, and head of the criminal department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
While serving in the prosecution, Kim received a commendation as an exemplary prosecutor for investigations including the LG Card insider trading case. Kim is also said to have received a prosecutor general's commendation for the "best special investigation case of the year" for probing corruption in the industrial alternative military service program involving singer Psy and others.
A legal community source who worked with Kim described Kim as "a leader who does not flaunt authority." Within the prosecution, Kim is also considered to have an even temperament and to excel at mediating between superiors and subordinates. In 2014, while serving as chief of the special investigations department at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, Kim also chaired a guitar club.
The source said Kim's nomination as the inaugural candidate to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is "interpreted as an intention to manage expected external pressures stably after the agency's launch."
Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung also said that the ministry decided to nominate Kim on the same day, noting that Kim has expertise in investigating serious crimes and the experience and leadership to guide a new organization stably.
If the Minister nominates Kim to President Lee Jae-myung on the day, the president will make the final appointment after a National Assembly confirmation hearing. If the appointment process proceeds as scheduled, the inaugural Administrator is expected to be appointed around the end of this month. The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency chief serves a two-year term and cannot be reappointed.