Key facts
- Kim Ji-yong vowed to uphold fairness, neutrality, and procedural justice.
- The SCIA was established after prosecutors lost investigative powers.
- The agency aims to prevent abuses of investigative powers.
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- The inaugural chief of South Korea's 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 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 told reporters. The SCIA was launched on Oct. 2 as part of reforms to the prosecution amid criticism that prosecutors pursued politically motivated investigations.
