Ruling party hard-liners clash with President Lee over SCIA chief nomination

President Lee Jae Myung has asked the National Assembly to hold a confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, his pick to lead the newly created Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. The agency, tasked with probing serious offenses such as bribery and political fund violations, is expected to operate with strict political neutrality. However, hard-liners within the ruling camp, notably Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae and legislators Kim Yong-min and Park Eun-jung, label Kim a "prosecution loyalist" and a "pro-Yoon Suk Yeol prosecutor," demanding his removal.

Lee responded by defending Kim on social media, arranging a dinner with former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae, and warning that baseless claims obstruct state functions. The dispute highlights a tension between the party’s public call for neutral investigative bodies and its internal push for partisan alignment.