Kim Jin-wook, Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HCIA) held its first advisory committee meeting of the year on the 21st, chaired by An Chang-ho.
On the same day, starting at 4 p.m., the HCIA held the 2023 1st HCIA Advisory Committee meeting in the HCIA main conference room at the Government Complex Gwacheon.
Since April 2021, the HCIA Advisory Committee, established by appointing members from various fields such as the legal community and academia to provide advice on HCIA operations and system improvements, has provided in-depth consultation on major HCIA issues including institutional direction, legislation, and cooperation among investigative agencies.
At the meeting attended by Chairman An Chang-ho and 13 advisory committee members, along with Director Kim Jin-wook, Deputy Director Yeo Woon-guk, Planning and Coordination Officer Kim Jung-yeol, and Investigation Planning Officer Lee Dae-hwan, the agenda focused on the "Future Development Direction of the HCIA."
Before the meeting began, Director Kim presented appointment letters to 12 newly appointed advisory committee members as of the 12th.
During the meeting, Kim Young-jung, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute of Criminology and Justice Policy, reported research findings on the development direction of the HCIA under the theme "Measures to Establish an Investigation System for Special Corruption Crime Investigation Agencies."
Following the research report, each advisory committee member offered opinions on the operation and improvement of the HCIA, which has entered its third year since its launch.
Prior to the meeting, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Chairman An Chang-ho gave a special lecture to HCIA prosecutors on the topic of "The Attitude of HCIA Prosecutors."
In his opening remarks, Director Kim stated, "The HCIA, launched in January 2021 with the driving force of the public's strong desire for unreserved investigations into crimes by high-ranking officials, has now entered its third year. Over the past two years, we have laid and supplemented the human, material, and institutional foundations necessary for the HCIA to settle in and focus on its core mission of investigating crimes by high-ranking officials."
He added, "If the past two years were a long beginning as a newly established investigative agency, I believe we have now reached the end of that beginning and are entering the full-fledged journey for thorough and unreserved investigations into corruption by high-ranking officials."
Director Kim emphasized, "To establish ourselves as a truly top investigative agency, not only the HCIA's own efforts but also generous advice and support from outside are more important than ever. I expect the wisdom and insights of the committee members to serve as a compass guiding the direction the HCIA should take."
He concluded, "The HCIA will also prioritize justice and human rights as its core values and faithfully act as a bridge to create a society where justice is alive and the rule of law is upheld. As the HCIA Director, I promise to serve as a shield that blocks political power and external pressure to ensure the HCIA remains steadfast."
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