Kim Jin-wook, Head of the Corruption Investigation Office, to Hold Press Briefing Tomorrow... Will He Reveal the Background of the Yoon Seok-yeol Investigation?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Kim Jin-wook, the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo), will express his stance on various current issues in front of reporters about two months after his inauguration. He is also expected to explain the recent investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

According to Gong-su-cheo on the 16th, Kim plans to hold a press briefing on the afternoon of the 17th at the Government Complex Gwacheon, where he will respond to reporters' questions on current issues.

This will be the first briefing since the online briefing on January 28. It is also the first media event in about 50 days since reporters' questions were blocked during their commute.

Gong-su-cheo had consistently remained silent on various issues, but the atmosphere changed somewhat after it became known that an investigation had begun into former Prosecutor General Yoon, who has recently emerged as a leading presidential candidate. Criticism arose that Gong-su-cheo was conducting an overreaching "octopus-like investigation" amid "blind investigations" and manpower shortages.

Kim's briefing appears to have been arranged as a response to this.

Attention is also focused on whether Kim will express his opinion on the Gong-su-cheo manpower increase mentioned by Song Young-gil, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, in his negotiation group representative speech that day.

In fact, concerns about manpower shortages are growing as the number of investigations at Gong-su-cheo increases. Currently, under the Gong-su-cheo Act, the staff quota is 25 prosecutors, 40 investigators, and 20 administrative staff, and increasing this requires a revision of the law.

Before the briefing, Kim is known to finalize the schedule and requirements for the second recruitment of Gong-su-cheo prosecutors at a personnel committee meeting. In the first recruitment, Gong-su-cheo appointed only 13 prosecutors, failing to fill the quota (25 including the head and deputy). Currently, the Investigation Division 1 is vacant.

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