Ultimately, Hearing Ends in Deadlock... Kim Oh-soo Avoids Comments Except on 'Political Bias'

Consistent Criticism of Handling Lime·Optimus Cases... "Prioritize Criminal Procedure Law Settlement over Complete Prosecution Reform"

Kim Oh-soo, the nominee for Prosecutor General, is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 26th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The confirmation hearing for Kim Osu, the nominee for Prosecutor General, ultimately broke down after a standoff between the ruling and opposition parties. The hearing was automatically adjourned, surpassing the deadline of the 26th for Kim's confirmation hearing, but the president is expected to proceed with the appointment.

During the hearing, which continued late into the night of the 26th, key issues included allegations of taking on cases related to the Lime and Optimus incidents, high advisory fees, and political neutrality. Kim actively defended himself against the political neutrality controversy surrounding him but remained reserved on sensitive matters such as the prosecution's organizational restructuring and the illegal travel ban case involving former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui.

Regarding the defense of the Lime and Optimus fund fraud cases, which had been raised since the morning, Kim reiterated his position that he "never defended the operators of the Lime and Optimus funds." However, he avoided answering specifics about the clients he represented, citing that it could violate the confidentiality obligations under the Attorney Act.

On the political neutrality controversy, he emphasized, "There has never been any controversy over my political neutrality during my tenure as a prosecutor." He also highlighted his promotion to chief prosecutor during the Park Geun-hye administration, explaining that the accusations of being 'pro-government' were unfounded.

He also actively addressed the controversy over his son's job application. Kim's son was criticized for listing his father's occupation as 'chief prosecutor' on his application form, implying he used 'Dad's chance.' Kim admitted, calling himself "a father indifferent to his son's employment and studies." However, regarding the monthly salary of 24 million won, which had been controversial even before the hearing, he explained, "It did not meet the public's expectations for someone from a high-ranking position."

Kim showed a cautious stance on the 'complete removal of prosecution's investigative authority' (Geomsu Wanbak). He explained, "The prosecution is essentially a public prosecution agency," and said, "It is a priority to stabilize the revised Criminal Procedure Act system."

Regarding the controversy over the 'leak of the indictment by Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Sung-yoon,' Kim pointed out, "The leak of the indictment is a problem." When addressing the issue of the indictment leak by Prosecutor Lee, he said, "Of course, the part where the indictment was leaked without appropriate procedures or according to the rules for disclosure of criminal prosecution rights is problematic," and added, "I understand that a fact-finding investigation is underway, but I have not received detailed reports."

There was also a question about whether he plans to enter politics after serving as Prosecutor General and retiring. Kim responded, "I have no intention of going into politics."

In the afternoon, when Professor Seo Min from Dankook University, author of the 'Cho Kuk Black Book,' appeared as a reference witness, the hearing turned into a 'Cho Kuk controversy.' Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk repeatedly questioned Professor Seo about various charges against Jung Kyung-shim, a professor at Dongyang University, and they eventually raised their voices over the prosecution's investigation and indictment related to the forgery of certificates.

The standoff between the ruling and opposition parties intensified when Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min brought up allegations of preferential treatment for former officials by People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom. The People Power Party lawmakers demanded a public apology, but Kim refused, leading to the breakdown of the hearing.

However, Kim's appointment is expected to proceed soon. The Blue House is likely to request a resubmission of the confirmation hearing report due to the failure of bipartisan agreement and the non-adoption of the report. If the National Assembly does not send the report, the president can request resubmission within 10 days and, even if the report is ultimately not adopted, the president can proceed with the appointment of the nominee.

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