The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which has long suffered from chronic staffing shortages, will restore its four-division structure.
On May 23, the CIO announced that it will conduct personnel transfers for prosecutors and investigators effective May 26, thereby reestablishing its four-investigation division system.
The positions of Chief of Investigation Division 1 and Chief of Investigation Division 2, which had been vacant, will be filled by Chief Prosecutors Na Changsu and Kim Suhwan, who were recently appointed. Lee Daehwan will remain as Chief of Investigation Division 3, and Cha Junghyun will continue as Chief of Investigation Division 4.
With Divisions 1 and 2 resuming operations, prosecutors who had been concentrated in Divisions 3 and 4 will be reassigned. Five newly appointed prosecutors, including Major Won Seonghee, who is currently undergoing retirement procedures from the Ministry of National Defense, will complete five days of job training before being assigned to the investigation divisions.
According to the CIO's organizational structure, the investigation divisions responsible for investigating crimes by high-ranking officials and maintaining prosecutions are Divisions 1 through 4, totaling four divisions. However, due to a series of resignations?including Kim Seongyu, Chief of Division 1 in May last year, Park Seokil, Chief of Division 3 in October last year, and Song Changjin, Chief of Division 2 in November last year?multiple vacancies emerged, making it impossible to operate all four divisions properly. Recently, the agency had to concentrate its personnel in only two divisions, Investigation Divisions 3 and 4.
The CIO's personnel committee recommended the appointment of two division chiefs and five prosecutors in September last year and January this year, and on May 16, the acting president approved the appointments.
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