On the 22nd, Oh Dong-woon, the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), emphasized in his inaugural speech, "As an investigative agency, the CIO must conduct investigations well," and urged, "Please ensure that all energy can be focused on the core task of investigation." He also stressed, "The CIO must become an organization that collaborates with other investigative agencies," calling for close cooperation with the police and prosecution.
Oh made these remarks during the inauguration ceremony held at the Government Complex Gwacheon in the afternoon.
Odongun, the newly appointed head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, is delivering his inaugural speech at the inauguration ceremony held at the Government Gwacheon Complex on the afternoon of the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Oh stated, "The CIO is an investigative agency. A chef must cook well, a singer must sing well, a scholar must research well, and an athlete must perform well. Likewise, the CIO must conduct investigations well. All members of the CIO, including prosecutors, investigators, and administrative staff, must work together to make the CIO an agency that excels in investigations. This is the fundamental attitude that every member of the CIO should have," he said.
He added, "To achieve this, the investigative work structure must be streamlined and optimized. First, unnecessary reports, paperwork, and formalities should be eliminated, and procedures simplified so that everything can be handled clearly and concisely." He continued, "For matters requiring prompt decisions from the leadership, please allow immediate reporting regardless of the day or time."
Oh reiterated, "Similarly, external events, meetings, and ceremonies should be conducted only when absolutely necessary so that all the CIO's energy can be concentrated on its primary task of investigation."
Referring to the CIO's ongoing investigations into politically sensitive cases, Oh pledged to serve as a bulwark against external pressure.
He said, "Currently, the CIO is handling several high-profile cases that attract significant public interest. For an investigative agency to perform well, it must not be swayed by external influences. I will shield the CIO prosecutors from outside pressure so that they can work with conviction based solely on law and principles."
He continued, "I will act as a bulwark to guarantee the CIO's political neutrality and operational independence, enabling each member to faithfully fulfill their duties from their respective positions."
Seemingly mindful of the conflicts between the first CIO chief Kim Jin-wook and the prosecution over investigative authority, Oh emphasized, "The CIO must faithfully perform its unique duties while becoming an organization that collaborates with other investigative agencies."
He urged, "Fundamentally, the CIO functions to mutually check and balance the Ministry of Justice, prosecution, and police, but for the shared goal of eradicating corruption among high-ranking officials, close cooperation with other agencies is essential."
Oh stated, "To resolve the CIO's shortage of investigative personnel, it is now necessary to consider cooperation measures among investigative agencies, including personnel dispatch from external organizations. Accordingly, I will establish an organic cooperative system with other anti-corruption agencies to promote related legal revisions and improvements in work systems. To this end, I will soon engage with other investigative and related agencies to explore various collaboration plans together."
After the inauguration ceremony, Oh visited the press room to meet with reporters.
When asked whether he plans to meet with the Prosecutor General or the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, following his statement about building cooperative systems with other investigative agencies, Oh replied, "The police and prosecution are all related agencies, and cooperation is necessary in anti-corruption investigations. Therefore, as the CIO chief, I will not wait but humbly visit them directly to seek cooperation where needed."
Oh mentioned the reality that the CIO has not filled its full quota of prosecutors and stressed, "We must become a strong and stable organization."
He explained, "Due to the relatively small size of the organization and personnel compared to the volume and weight of cases received by the CIO, heavy workloads are repeated. Additionally, frequent turnover caused by short terms and reappointment systems for prosecutors and investigators creates ongoing organizational instability."
He added, "To address these issues, I will do my utmost as the chief to improve the system so that members who diligently perform their roles at their respective positions can focus on investigations without being constrained by term limits and reappointment issues."
On the morning of the 22nd, Odongun, the new head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), answered reporters' questions as he arrived at the CIO building for his first day of work. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@
At the end of his inaugural speech, Oh quoted a passage from Han Feizi (韓非子).
Oh said, "After completing the confirmation hearing, while contemplating the direction the CIO should take, I would like to introduce a passage from the 'Youdu (有度)' chapter of Han Feizi," and explained, "法不阿貴 繩不撓曲 (Beopbulagwi Seungbulyo-guk), meaning 'The law does not flatter the noble, and the carpenter's line does not bend because the wood is crooked.'"
He elaborated, "This means that the law does not side with high-ranking individuals, so even high officials cannot evade the law. Just as a carpenter must keep the carpenter's line straight to cut wood properly, principles must be upheld. This is the philosophy engraved by Han Feizi."
Finally, Oh pledged, "I will do my best to establish the CIO as a strong anti-corruption investigative agency that strictly punishes crimes by high-ranking officials in accordance with its founding purpose. I will work sincerely as the chief, breathing together with all CIO members to fulfill our role and responsibility to eradicate corruption in public service."
Meanwhile, during a meeting with reporters after the inauguration ceremony, Oh addressed allegations of external pressure related to the death of Marine Corps Corporal Chae Mo, stating, "I plan to work diligently on that case in consultation with the investigative team to ensure the investigation proceeds without disruption."
When asked if President Yoon Suk-yeol gave any special instructions when presenting the appointment letter, Oh replied, "He did not say anything specific about the CIO's work but mentioned that it is an important organization and offered words of encouragement."
Regarding the appointment of the CIO deputy chief, Oh expressed his intention to take sufficient time to select the right candidate.
He said, "They say it's a three-year term. If the deputy chief and I, as the leadership, lead the investigation but have even a slight disconnect or differing thoughts, many trial-and-error issues will arise. Therefore, appointing the deputy chief is very important to me to prevent such problems."
When asked whether the nomination would be made within May, Oh responded, "There will be various verification processes after the nomination, so setting a deadline for when I will nominate is not desirable based on my personnel plan. I intend to take some time to expand the talent pool. Although this month may be inconvenient, it is work to ensure a successful three-year term, so I plan to approach the nomination and appointment process with a long-term perspective."
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