Korean Bar Association Sends Official Letter to Lawyers Nationwide Requesting Recommendations for the First Chief of the Public Corruption Investigation Office

Lee Chan-hee, who was elected as the 50th President of the Korean Bar Association, is being interviewed on the 25th at Sungin Law Firm in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Korean Bar Association is seeking recommendations for candidates to lead the newly established High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo), which will launch nationwide in July.

According to the legal community on the 16th, the Korean Bar Association sent an official letter titled "Request for Recommendations of Suitable Candidates for Gong-su-cheo Chief" via email to lawyers across the country. The Bar Association stated in the letter, "We intend to appoint the inaugural Gong-su-cheo Chief candidate who will rigorously investigate corruption, possess integrity and fairness, and have extensive legal knowledge and administrative capabilities, and subsequently recommend them to the nomination committee." Recommendations will be accepted until 6 p.m. on April 10.

Lee Chan-hee, President of the Korean Bar Association, is qualified to serve as a member of the Gong-su-cheo Chief Candidate Recommendation Committee according to the Gong-su-cheo Act. The committee consists of seven members: the President of the Korean Bar Association, the Minister of Justice, the Chief of the Court Administration, and two members each recommended by the ruling and opposition parties with negotiation group status in the National Assembly. The committee holds meetings upon requests from the National Assembly and decides on candidate recommendations with the approval of at least six members.

Once the committee recommends two candidates for the inaugural Gong-su-cheo Chief, President Moon Jae-in will appoint one of them after a confirmation hearing. The qualifications for the Gong-su-cheo Chief require at least 15 years of experience as a judge, prosecutor, or lawyer. The term is a single three-year term with a mandatory retirement age of 65.

For prosecutors, they cannot be appointed as Chief or Deputy Chief unless three years and one year, respectively, have passed since their retirement. Public officials affiliated with the Blue House are prohibited from working at Gong-su-cheo as prosecutors or investigators for two years after retirement.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.