중국 어선 단속, 긴급 헬기 충돌 순직한 해양경찰 10명…인공지능으로 복원해 추모

Special Investigation Officer (SIO) nominee Choi Gilsun, a lawyer at E-Afra Law Firm, was selected by President Yoon Suk-yeol on September 24th, finally resolving a 10-year gap after the departure of previous SIO Is Seok-su in 2016. Choi is a seasoned 20-year veteran in the prosecution, having worked as a prosecutor since passing the 1991 33rd Judicial Service Exam.

He began his career in 1997 as a prosecutor in Gwangju and later held various positions such as Special 2nd Division Head at the Gwangju Prosecutor's Office, Deputy Director of the Dong-gu District Office, and Head of the Major Economic Crime Investigation Team at Seoul South District Office. Choi's nomination to the SIO position was based on his expertise and political neutrality, as President Yoon deemed him a non-partisan individual.

Choi previously served as the SIO nominee for the opposition United Future Party in 2019. The spokesperson for the presidential office stated that Choi is considered a neutral candidate as he has recommended candidates from both major parties in the past. The National Assembly's previous nominees were Kang Ji-sung for the Citizens' Power Party and Kang Un-hyun for the Korean Bar Association.

SIOs are responsible for independently investigating high-ranking officials and government servants who violate ethics rules, including President's family members and officials within the 4-corner proximity. The SIO was first established in 2014 under former President Park Geun-hye's election campaign. In 2015, Is Seok-su became the first SIO appointed, but resigned in September the following year due to pressure from the president's office and the executive branch.

The SIO's appointment was delayed during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration due to its dual role with the Office of Special Prosecution (OSP) and the Special Investigation Officer (SIO) role. The appointment of the SIO was announced as a campaign promise by former President Yoon, but failed to materialize after the ruling party tried to tie the recommendation process to the North Korea Human Rights Foundation's chairperson recommendation.

Experts argue that ensuring the SIO's independent role in investigations is crucial to prevent future instances of "Choi Seok-su syndrome."