'Yoon trauma' shapes battle over new investigative chief

The appointment of Kim Ji-yong as the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) has sparked controversy, with the main disagreement centered around his past as a prosecutor and alleged connections to the former president Yoon Suk Yeol. However, the underlying concern may be that the new investigative body could operate beyond governmental control and potentially produce another political figure akin to Yoon Suk Yeol.

This worry stems from the political consequences of Yoon Suk Yeol's rise to power. As a prosecutor general under the previous liberal government, Yoon Suk Yeol gained significant attention through investigations involving those close to the president, and his confrontations with the administration transformed him into a symbol of resistance to political authority.

This image proved to be a valuable asset in his successful presidential campaign. For the ruling camp, this history demonstrated how a single investigator can convert legal authority and high-profile cases into political power, illustrating the potential risks associated with the creation of the SCIA.