Kim Taehun Appointed as Head of Joint Investigation Headquarters for 'Unification Church-Political Collusion Allegations'

Details on Size and Office Still Under Discussion...
Comprehensive Investigation into "Political Lobbying"
Chief Kim Promoted to Chief Prosecutor after Lee Jaemyung Administration Took Office

Taehun, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, is responding to a lawmaker's question at the plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on October 23 last year. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim Taehun, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (30th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), has been nominated as the head of the joint prosecution-police investigation headquarters (Joint Investigation Headquarters) that will investigate allegations of collusion between the Unification Church and Shincheonji with political circles.

According to the legal community on January 6, the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office have selected Chief Prosecutor Kim as the head of the headquarters and are considering establishing the investigation headquarters at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and other locations. The investigation headquarters is expected to be composed of dozens of dispatched prosecutors and police officers. However, the office location and the exact size of the Joint Investigation Headquarters have not yet been decided. The Joint Investigation Headquarters plans to conduct a comprehensive investigation into allegations of political lobbying by the Unification Church and Shincheonji.

A prosecution official stated, "Chief Prosecutor Kim has been nominated as the head of the Joint Investigation Headquarters, but details such as its size and office location are still being coordinated and nothing has been finalized."

Previously, on December 30 last year, President Lee Jaemyung instructed the consideration of establishing a joint prosecution-police investigation headquarters separate from the 'Unification Church Special Prosecutor.' President Lee emphasized, "Regardless of political affiliation or rank, everyone should be investigated to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable so that such incidents never happen again," adding, "We cannot wait only for the special prosecutor, so the police and prosecution should either form a joint investigation headquarters or conduct separate investigations."

Chief Prosecutor Kim previously served as Director of Policy Planning at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office during the Moon Jae-in administration, where he designed the adjustment of investigative powers between the prosecution and the police. While serving as Director of the Prosecution Division at the Ministry of Justice, he oversaw disciplinary actions against then-Prosecutor General Yoon Sukyeol. Later, as the fourth deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he led the dedicated investigation team for the Daejang-dong development case.

During the Yoon Sukyeol administration, he was demoted to a high prosecutor, but was promoted to chief prosecutor in the first round of senior prosecutorial appointments after the Lee Jaemyung administration took office. In November last year, when the prosecution leadership decided to forgo appealing the Daejang-dong development corruption case, frontline chief prosecutors, except for Kim and Im Eunjeong, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, did not sign the statement requesting an explanation from acting Prosecutor General Noh Manseok regarding the decision not to appeal.