Why did the presidential office say Kim Ji-yong’s Cabinet meeting attendance would not compromise SCIA investigations?

Seong Ghi-hong said the government was committed to fairness and political neutrality in investigations and independence in indictments. He added that Cabinet meetings would not discuss individual investigations or instructions on indictments, and that linking attendance to political control or interference did not reflect the meetings’ purpose.

What did President Lee Jae Myung say would happen if the SCIA chief were excluded from Cabinet meetings?

Lee argued that excluding the chief would run counter to the Constitution and common sense because it would mean relinquishing his command and supervision of the SCIA. He said that could constitute grounds for impeachment and dereliction of duty subject to criminal punishment.

What are South Korea’s Cabinet meetings intended to cover, according to presidential press secretary Seong Ghi-hong?

Seong said the meetings are intended to share the government’s administrative philosophy and current issues with heads of government bodies. He said individual investigation cases and instructions on indictments would not be discussed there.

Presidential office denies investigation chief's Cabinet meeting attendance compromises impartiality

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Summary

The presidential office on Thursday rejected criticism in South Korea that Serious Crime Investigation Agency chief Kim Ji-yong’s attendance at a Cabinet meeting could undermine investigative impartiality and independence. Lee Jae Myung’s senior press secretary, Seong Ghi-hong, said the government would maintain political neutrality in investigations and independence in indictments. Seong said Cabinet meetings would not address individual cases or instructions on indictments, while Lee argued that excluding the SCIA chief would conflict with his constitutional responsibilities.

Key Facts

Kim attended Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting for the first time since taking office, departing from the long-held practice of investigation chiefs not attending such meetings.
Seong said Cabinet meetings are intended to share the government’s administrative philosophy and current issues with heads of government bodies.
In an X post later Thursday, Lee said excluding the SCIA chief would mean giving up his command and supervision of the agency, which he said could constitute grounds for impeachment and criminal punishment for dereliction of duty.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 22, 2026 12:40 pm KST
Updated Oct 22, 2026 2:49 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung attends a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

The presidential office on Thursday refuted media criticism that the chief of the new investigative body attending Cabinet meetings could compromise impartiality and independence in investigations.

The response came amid growing media criticism after Kim Ji-yong, chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), attended Tuesday's Cabinet meeting for the first time since taking office, despite the long-held practice of investigation chiefs not attending such meetings.

In a social media post the previous day, President Lee Jae Myung said chiefs of all government institutions under his command could attend Cabinet meetings, but many media outlets pointed out that such a move could compromise the investigation chief's independence and impartiality in conducting investigations.

"The government is strenuously working toward maintaining fairness and political neutrality in investigations and independence in indictments. This principle will remain unwavering going forward," Lee's senior secretary for the press, Seong Ghi-hong, told reporters.

The official also made clear that no individual investigation cases or instructions on indictments would be discussed during Cabinet meetings.

"To make it clear, connecting Cabinet meeting attendance with political control of investigative bodies or interference in investigations is not at all in line with the goal of the government's Cabinet meetings," Seong noted, adding that such meetings are aimed at sharing the government's administrative philosophy and current issues with heads of government bodies.

In another X post later Thursday, Lee reiterated that calls to exclude the SCIA chief from Cabinet meetings would run counter to the Constitution and common sense, arguing that doing so would mean giving up his command and supervision of the SCIA, which he said would constitute grounds for his impeachment and dereliction of duty subject to criminal punishment.

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