Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, or CIO in short, is an independent agency of the South Korean government responsible for prosecuting crimes and investigating allegations involving "high-ranking officials" or their direct family members.

Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials
CIO
Gongsucheo
고위공직자범죄수사처
高位公職者犯罪搜査處
Agency overview
FormedJanuary 21, 2021
JurisdictionGovernment of South Korea
HeadquartersGwacheon Government complex
Employees23 Prosecutors,
40 Investigators,
around 40 supporting staff.
Total around 85
Agency executives
  • Kim Jin-wook, Head of the CIO
  • Yeo Unguk, Head Deputy
Parent departmentIndependent Agency
Websitecio.go.kr

The CIO is expected to police almost 6,500 "high-ranking officials" - incumbent and former - and their spouses and children. The Act specifies the posts as high-ranking government officials, parliamentarians, prosecutors, judges and the President. However, its investigative authority limits to cases related to certain crimes defined by the Act leaving other sorts of allegations and crimes - sexual harassment case for instance[1] - to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office for investigation and prosecution.[2]

History

The Act on establishment and operation of CIO was passed by the parliament in December 2019[3] and taken into force in July 2020. However, due to the then opposition party's refusal to cooperate in nominating the head of CIO, it had not initiated operations by its legally mandated date of July 2020.[1]

In February 2020 the Constitutional Court of Korea agreed to hear the case filed by the opposition party against its establishment.[4] After breaking the law to announce its ruling in less than 180 days from the day it agreed to hear the case,[5] the Court found the CIO's establishment law constitutional in January 2021.[6]

On January 21, 2021, Kim Jin-wook is appointed as the first head of the CIO.[7]

Organization

The head of CIO is appointed by the President among two candidates recommended by the nomination committee. The committee is composed of Minister of Justice, Minister of Court Administration, President of Korean Bar Association and four members - two recommended by the ruling party and the other by the opposition.[8] As any of the final two candidates must be agreed by all six committee members, its two members recommended by the opposition party - and the opposition party broadly - are considered to have a veto power over the selection of CIO chief.[9][10] This condition was subsequently changed after the first nomination committee entered gridlock with both opposition party selected member's veto. As of 2021, the committee only requires 5 of the 7 total possible votes.

The law allows for a maximum of 25 prosecutors, including the office head and deputy.

See also

References
  1. "Corruption investigation agency now official but not ready". koreatimes. 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  2. "South Korea Set to Launch Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials & Its Implications". www.shinkim.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  3. "South Korea passes bill to set up anti-corruption agency". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  4. "헌재, '공수처법 위헌 여부' 전원재판부 회부해 심리 착수". m.lawtimes.co.kr (in Korean). 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  5. "[2020 국감] 법사위 '공수처법 위헌 사건' 판단 지연은 헌재 '직무유기'". www.polinews.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  6. "[속보] 헌재, 공수처법 '합헌' 결정…청구 일부는 각하". KBS 뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  7. https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2021/01/356_302821.html
  8. "고위공직자범죄수사처설치및운영에관한법률". www.law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  9. Herald, The Korea (2020-11-10). "Parties in process to pick inaugural chief of new anti-corruption probe body". www.koreaherald.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  10. "Transparency International-Korea Statement Urging Launch of Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)". Transparency International korea. 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
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