D-Day for Recommending Candidate for Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office... Maximum Conflict Between Ruling and Opposition Parties

6th Meeting of the Corruption Investigation Office Chief Recommendation Committee Today... Candidate Recommendation Expected to Conclude
Ruling Party Launches Drive for Corruption Investigation Office Inauguration and Prosecution Reform
Opposition Signals Legal Response Including Request for Constitutional Review

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] As the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HCIA) chief candidate recommendation committee moves to select the final candidates on the 28th, the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is reaching its peak. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea remains firm in its stance to confirm the HCIA chief as part of prosecutorial reform and to launch the HCIA next month. On the other hand, the People Power Party has decided to take legal action, including filing a constitutional review request, if the Democratic Party proceeds with the candidate recommendation as expected.

The recommendation committee will hold its 6th meeting in the afternoon at the National Assembly to select the final two candidates for the HCIA chief position. The final two candidates must receive approval from five of the seven recommendation committee members, after which President Moon Jae-in will nominate one of the two as the final candidate. The nominated candidate will then undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing before assuming the inaugural HCIA chief position.

At the previous 4th meeting, Kim Jin-wook, Senior Researcher at the Constitutional Court (recommended by the Korean Bar Association), and lawyer Jeon Hyun-jung (recommended by the Ministry of Justice), who received five votes each, were considered leading candidates. However, there is also a possibility that Lee Geon-ri, Vice Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (recommended by the Korean Bar Association), might be nominated as a final candidate instead of lawyer Jeon, who is embroiled in a 'conflict of interest' controversy as the wife of Supreme Court Justice Kim Jae-hyung.

Confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over the candidate recommendation is also expected to be inevitable. On the 25th, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon reportedly emphasized "institutionalization of prosecutorial reform, uninterrupted prosecutorial reform, and prompt implementation of the HCIA establishment" during a meeting with party members of the Judiciary Committee to discuss responses following Prosecutor General Yoon's return. This is also interpreted as an effort to rally the support base again through a strong prosecutorial reform drive, including the launch of the HCIA, amid the recent continued slump in approval ratings.

Meanwhile, the People Power Party plans to take legal action if the ruling party pushes ahead with the candidate recommendation. Citing the nullification of the opposition's veto power, they intend to file a lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court and request a constitutional review. On the same day, People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young stated at an emergency committee meeting, "All previous candidates were rejected because they did not meet the requirements," adding, "If meetings are held again targeting the previous candidates, we will raise legal issues."

He also urged, "The HCIA was started so that the opposition-recommended HCIA chief could investigate the living power free from the president's personnel authority," and appealed, "Please consider carefully so as not to be criticized again for leading the disruption of the judicial system with a humble heart before history."

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