Odongun, Head of the Corruption Investigation Office, Recommends Appointment of Lawyer Lee Jaeseung, Former Chief Prosecutor, as Deputy Director

Attorney Lee Jae-seung, nominated for the position of Deputy Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. Photo by Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials

Odongwoon, Chief of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, nominated Lee Jaeseung, a former chief prosecutor and lawyer at the law firm Jipyung (age 50, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 30), for the position of Deputy Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).

On the 10th, the CIO stated, "The Chief of the CIO has nominated lawyer Lee as Deputy Chief in accordance with Article 7 of the Corruption Investigation Office Act," adding, "The Chief has listened to various opinions and carefully considered them to find someone with both investigative skills and organizational management abilities, ultimately deciding that lawyer Lee is the most suitable candidate for the next Deputy Chief."

Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the Corruption Investigation Office Act (Deputy Chief) stipulates that "The Deputy Chief shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Chief from among those who have served for more than 10 years in the positions listed in Article 5, Paragraph 1."

The Deputy Chief assists the Chief and acts on behalf of the Chief when the Chief is unable to perform duties due to unavoidable reasons. The Chief concurrently holds the position of CIO prosecutor, and the term of office is three years without reappointment.

Chief Odongwoon stated, "Once the appointment of the Deputy Chief is finalized, I will do my best to lead the organization alongside the new Deputy Chief so that the CIO can develop into an independent investigative agency that is fair and trusted by the public."

Lawyer Lee, an alumnus of Soongsil High School in Seoul and Seoul National University Law School, passed the 40th Judicial Examination in 1998 and completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute as class 30.

After serving as a military legal officer in the Air Force, he was commissioned as a prosecutor at Incheon District Prosecutors' Office in 2004 and worked at Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office Gangneung Branch, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Anyang Branch, among others.

From 2012 to 2014, he was dispatched as a legal advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. After returning to the prosecution, he served as deputy chief prosecutor at Busan District Prosecutors' Office, chief prosecutor at Seosan Branch of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, head of the Cyber Investigation Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, chief prosecutor of the Criminal Division 3 at Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and finally chief prosecutor of the Criminal Division 3 at Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office before opening his law practice in 2020.

During his time as a prosecutor at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in 2011, he co-authored "A Practical Study on Defamation Cases." In 2014, he obtained the Level 2 (Blue Belt) Certified Specialist Prosecutor qualification in defamation from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. From 2018 to 2019, while serving as chief prosecutor of the Criminal Division 3 at Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, he led departments specializing in gambling offenses and violent crimes.

In August 2020, when he was assigned as a prosecutor at Suwon High Prosecutors' Office in a subsequent personnel reshuffle, he resigned and has since worked as a criminal law specialist at the law firm Jipyung. The CIO stated that lawyer Lee is highly regarded for his expertise in criminal cases and his strong understanding of investigations as a legal professional.

Chief Odongwoon, who took office on May 22, expressed his intention to find a Deputy Chief with outstanding investigative skills, considering criticisms that, as a former judge, he lacks sufficient investigative experience during the process of searching for a Deputy Chief candidate.