Who is Kim Ji-yong and what is President Lee Jae Myung asking the National Assembly to do?

Kim Ji-yong is Lee Jae Myung’s nominee to become the first chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Lee has approved a request for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for him before the agency launches.

President requests confirmation hearing for nominee to head new investigation agency

Q: Why is Kim Ji-yong facing scrutiny from the ruling party?

Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea have raised suspicions over claims that Kim once opposed prosecution reform. The presidential office said it carried out an additional verification process but kept his nomination in place.

Q: What changes are taking effect in South Korea’s prosecution system?

The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is set to launch, and the prosecution service will be renamed the Public Prosecution Service. Under the reform, the PPS will handle only indictments and maintaining indictments.

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Summary

President Lee Jae Myung approved a request for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, his nominee to become the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, a presidential spokesperson said Friday. The request came as the agency was set to launch later in the day under the Lee administration’s prosecution reform. The prosecution service was also due to be renamed the Public Prosecution Service and limited to indicting and maintaining indictments.

Key Facts

Lee nominated Kim Ji-yong early last month at the recommendation of the interior minister.
Suspicions were later raised within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea over claims that Kim had once opposed prosecution reform.
The presidential office said the previous day that it would soon submit a hearing request to the National Assembly and had completed an additional verification process on Kim.
The prosecution service will be renamed the Public Prosecution Service, or PPS.
The PPS will be tasked only with indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 2, 2026 8:15 am KST

Kim Ji-yong, nominee for the inaugural head of the planned Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, arrives at his office in central Seoul, Sept. 17. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung has approved a request for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for his nominee to become the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), a presidential spokesperson said Friday.

The announcement came as the SCIA was set to launch later in the day to take over prosecutors' functions of investigating serious crimes as part of the Lee administration's prosecution reform.

Lee's approval of a document requesting a parliamentary hearing for SCIA chief nominee Kim Ji-yong indicates the president might be taking steps to officially appoint him.

The president nominated Kim early last month at the recommendation of the interior minister, but suspicions have since been raised within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, including over claims that Kim had once opposed prosecution reform.

The presidential office said the previous day that Cheong Wa Dae will soon submit a request to the National Assembly for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim.

It said it had carried out an additional verification process on Kim but found that his nomination should remain in place.

Meanwhile, as part of prosecution reform, the prosecution service will be renamed the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and will only be tasked with indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects. The PPS will also set sail later in the day.

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