SCIA chief attends Cabinet meeting for 2nd time amid controversy

Kim Ji-yong, the first chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), returned to a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung for the second time on Tuesday. Opposition critics argued that Kim's presence could undermine the agency's neutrality and independence. This was Kim's second appearance at the weekly Cabinet meeting since the SCIA's establishment on October 2 as part of a criminal justice overhaul that removed prosecutors' investigative powers.

Alongside Kim, acting Korean National Police Agency commissioner general Kim Jong-chul and acting Prosecutor General Lee Jeong-hyun also attended the Cabinet meeting. A recent parliamentary audit of the Lee administration sparked a contentious debate over whether heads of investigative and prosecutorial agencies should be present at Cabinet meetings.

Opposition lawmakers contended that their attendance could jeopardize the neutrality and independence of their agencies, while ruling party lawmakers maintained that their presence was essential for coordinating state affairs and ensuring effective governance.