[Exclusive] Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Youngil, Who Led "North Korea Remittance" Probe, Leaves Prosecution After Quoting "My Way" Lyrics

Expert in Securities and Financial Crime Investigations from the First Securities Crime Joint Investigation Team
Urges Colleagues to "Handle Work Based on Beliefs Grounded in Law and Principles"

Kim Youngil, Deputy Chief Prosecutor (age 53, 31st class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), who previously led the investigation team for the "North Korea remittance" case involving President Lee Jaemyung and former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwayoung, has left the prosecution.

According to the legal community on November 10, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim posted a resignation message on the prosecution's internal network "e-Pros" on November 7.

Kim Youngil, Deputy Chief Prosecutor. Photo by Yonhap News

In his message, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim quoted the lyrics of the pop song "My Way," urging his colleagues to "carry out their work based on the law, principles, and their convictions."

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim recalled, "I don't remember exactly how many years I had served as a prosecutor, but at one point, I thought about what I would want to say to myself at the moment of resignation, as if I were writing my own epitaph in advance."

He continued, "At that time, I hoped I could say to myself the words from the song 'My Way': 'I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way.' Since then, whenever I have had to make difficult and challenging decisions, I have always kept this motto close to my heart."

Expressing his regret at leaving his junior colleagues behind in a challenging environment, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim added, "As always, I believe that if the wise and resilient members of the prosecution work together and devote themselves to their duties based on the law, principles, and their convictions, they will be able to overcome difficulties and become an even stronger prosecution."

After completing the 31st class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute in 2002, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim began his career as a prosecutor at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. He subsequently served at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, and Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, gaining extensive experience in special, violent, and advanced crime investigations.

After making his mark at the Securities Crime Joint Investigation Team, which was launched for the first time in 2013, he was dispatched to the Korea Exchange the following year. In 2016, upon returning to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Defense Industry Division and the Special Investigation Division 1, and in 2018, he became the Chief Prosecutor of the Criminal Division 6 at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, which specializes in corporate and financial crime investigations.

He was later promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor after serving as Director of Investigation Information 1 at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and as Chief Prosecutor of Criminal Division 1 at the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office. While serving as Chief Prosecutor of the Pyeongtaek Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, he was appointed Acting Deputy Chief Prosecutor 2 of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in September 2022, where he led the investigation into the North Korea remittance case.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim, who left the prosecution after serving as Chief Prosecutor of the Daegu Western District Prosecutors' Office and as a prosecutor at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, mainly handled special and financial crime investigations throughout his career.

He investigated several high-profile cases, including the embezzlement and breach of trust case involving the owner family of Lotte Group, the accounting fraud case at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), bribery and corruption cases involving former National Assembly members Lee Woo-hyun and Hong Moonjong, the corruption case involving the owner family of Hanjin Group, the real estate speculation allegations against former lawmaker Sohn Hye-won, and the hiring irregularities allegations involving the daughter of former lawmaker Kim Sung-tae, as well as numerous stock price manipulation cases. He is a certified financial crime specialist recognized by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.