Politics · South Korea · 22 hrs ago
South Korea minister orders inspection of official who criticized agency nominee
South Korea's Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung has ordered an inspection of Lim Eun-jeong, who leads the agency's Gwangju regional office.
Lim had publicly criticized Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to become the first head of the newly established Serious Crime Investigation Agency.
Yoon said Lim appeared to be treating the agency as a political body rather than an investigative one.
Lim said she would respond with a sense of duty.
The order has added to disagreement within the governing camp over Kim's nomination.
A Democratic Party spokesperson called the inspection reasonable, while the Rebuilding Korea Party said it could make officials less willing to raise concerns about Kim.
Kim's confirmation hearing is scheduled for October 14, and the dispute could intensify around that hearing and a parliamentary audit scheduled for October 13.
South Korea’s interior minister ordered an inspection of Lim Eun-jung, a regional official who publicly criticized nominee Kim Ji-yong for the chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency.
Minister Yoon Ho-jung said Lim appeared to mistake the agency for a political body rather than an investigative one.
Lim said she would respond with a sense of duty.
The order drew different reactions from ruling-party lawmakers and the Rebuilding Korea Party.
The dispute over Kim’s nomination could intensify at a parliamentary audit on Oct. 13 and his confirmation hearing on Oct. 14.
- Who
- Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung ordered an inspection of Lim Eun-jung, chief of the agency’s Gwangju regional office.
- What
- Yoon ordered an inspection after Lim publicly criticized chief nominee Kim Ji-yong.
- When
- Oct. 11. Kim’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- Yoon said Lim appeared to treat the agency as a political body and was focused on criticizing the nominee.
Democratic Party of Korea
Rebuilding Korea Party
Inspection order
Democratic Party of Korea
Spokesman Cho Gye-won called it a “common-sense measure.
Rebuilding Korea Party
The party said the order could create an environment where people cannot freely raise concerns about Kim.
Criticism of a superior’s personnel matter
Democratic Party of Korea
Cho said it was unreasonable to comment on a superior’s personnel matter.
Rebuilding Korea Party
The party objected to the potential chilling effect on criticism of the nominee.
Lim appears to mistake the Serious Crime Investigation Agency for a political body, not an investigative agency.
I will respond with a sense of duty.
It is unreasonable in itself to make comments about a superior’s personnel matter.
It is inappropriate if the inspection order creates an environment in which concerns about nominee Kim cannot be raised freely.
The presidential office submitted Kim Ji-yong’s confirmation hearing request to the National Assembly after re-examining him.
Yoon Ho-jung ordered an inspection of Lim Eun-jung, who had publicly criticized Kim.
A parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee is scheduled.
Kim Ji-yong’s confirmation hearing is scheduled.
- Minister
- Yoon Ho-jung
- Official under inspection
- Lim Eun-jung, chief of the Gwangju regional office
- Nominee
- Kim Ji-yong, candidate to lead the Serious Crime Investigation Agency
- Inspection order
- Oct. 11
- Confirmation hearing
- Oct. 14
- Parliamentary audit
- Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 13
Sources
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