President requests confirmation hearing for nominee to head new investigation agency

President Lee Jae Myung has given approval for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for his nominee to head the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), according to a presidential spokesperson on Friday. The decision comes as the SCIA prepares to officially launch later in the day, assuming the role of investigating serious crimes from prosecutors as part of the Lee administration's ongoing prosecution reform.

Lee's support for a document requesting a parliamentary hearing for SCIA chief nominee Kim Ji-yong suggests that the president may be moving forward with officially appointing him to the position. Kim was originally nominated by the interior minister at the beginning of the month, but recent doubts have arisen within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, with allegations that Kim had once opposed the prosecution reform initiative.

The presidential office had previously confirmed that Cheong Wa Dae would submit a request to the National Assembly for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim in the near future. They stated that they had conducted an additional verification process on Kim, but found that his nomination still met the necessary requirements.