Kim Ji-yong Nominated as First Head of Major Crimes Investigation Agency

Kim Ji-yong, a former deputy chief prosecutor at the Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office, has been proposed to lead South Korea’s Major Crimes Investigation Agency when it launches in October.

Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung made the proposal to President Lee Jae-myung during a briefing at the Government Complex Seoul. He described Kim as a criminal justice specialist with extensive experience in investigations, inspections and trials, as well as experience managing major investigative organizations.

Kim, 58, was born in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province. He joined the prosecution as a prosecutor at the Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office in 1999 and later served as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Trial Division 2 and head of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Inspection Division 1.

He was promoted to prosecutor general-level rank in August 2020 and went on to lead the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office and the Criminal Affairs Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. He retired in September 2023. While heading the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office trial division, he also worked on a team that recovered unpaid criminal surcharges from former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, whose prison sentence for violating the Political Funds Act had been finalized. Kim will undergo a parliamentary personnel confirmation hearing.

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He is a criminal justice and investigative legal expert who has built sufficient experience in investigations, inspections and trials, and he also has experience stably managing organizations after serving in the leadership of major investigative agencies.