Inaugural SCIA chief reaffirms pledge to end 'politicization' of investigations

Kim Ji-yong, chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, reiterated Monday in South Korea his pledge to end the politicization of investigations. He was appointed Thursday to lead the newly launched agency after criminal justice reforms stripped prosecutors of their investigative powers. Kim said the SCIA would uphold fairness, neutrality and procedural justice. The agency launched on Oct. 2 amid criticism that prosecutors had pursued politically motivated investigations.

The SCIA was launched on Oct. 2 as part of reforms to the prosecution system.

Kim Ji-yong said the previous prosecution caused harm by abusing investigative powers.

The criminal justice overhaul stripped prosecutors of their investigative powers.

Kim had made ending the politicization of investigations a priority while serving as the agency’s nominee.

Published Oct 19, 2026 10:19 am KST

Kim Ji-yong, head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, speaks to reporters as he arrives at his office in central Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA) on Monday reiterated his pledge to end the "politicization" of investigations.

Kim Ji-yong was appointed to lead the newly launched agency Thursday following a major overhaul to the criminal justice system earlier this month that stripped prosecutors of their investigative powers.

"The previous prosecution caused various harms, such as abusing investigative powers, and I think the root cause of that lies with the politicization of investigations," he told reporters.

"The SCIA will establish itself as an investigative agency that the public will not have to worry about by strictly upholding fairness, neutrality and procedural justice."

Kim, as nominee, had vowed to prioritize ending the "politicization" of investigations.

The SCIA was launched on Oct. 2 as part of reforms to the prosecution amid criticism that prosecutors pursued politically motivated investigations.

韩国重案调查厅厅长金智勇周一重申，他将致力于结束调查的政治化。此前，刑事司法改革剥夺了检察官的调查权，金智勇于周四被任命领导这个新成立的机构。他表示，重案调查厅将秉持公平、中立和程序正义的原则。该机构于10月2日成立，此前，检察官因政治动机而进行的调查饱受诟病。

SCIA于10月2日启动，是检控系统改革的一部分。

金智勇表示，之前的检方滥用调查权力，造成了损害。

刑事司法改革剥夺了检察官的调查权。

金在担任该机构提名人期间，将结束调查政治化作为首要任务。

发布于2026年10月19日上午10:19（韩国标准时间）

周一，重案搜查厅厅长金智龙抵达位于首尔市中心的办公室时接受记者采访。（韩联社）

周一，重案调查局（SCIA）首任局长重申了他结束调查“政治化”的承诺。

本月早些时候，刑事司法系统进行了重大改革，剥夺了检察官的调查权。周四，金智勇被任命为新成立的司法机构的负责人。

“之前的检控造成了各种危害，例如滥用调查权力，我认为其根源在于调查的政治化，”他告诉记者。

“SCIA 将严格秉持公平、中立和程序正义的原则，使自身成为一个公众无需担忧的调查机构。”

金作为提名人曾誓言要优先结束调查的“政治化”。

SCIA 于 10 月 2 日启动，作为检察机关改革的一部分，此前检察机关因进行政治动机调查而受到批评。