Rep. Lee Jun-seok, a leading figure in the minor Reform Party and the former chair of the ruling party, said Tuesday that he has proposed a bill to abolish the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, questioning the agency's capacity and political neutrality over handling high-profile cases such as Yoon's insurrection charges.
"Today, I submitted a bill to the National Assembly calling for the abolishment of the CIO," Lee said at a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, adding that he had anticipated problems with the agency since its establishment in 2021.
"I have warned that dividing prosecution power among different agencies wastes administrative resources, allowing investigative bodies to be divided and influenced by political interests," Lee added.
Lee further asserted that the agency should have allowed police to investigate insurrection charges against President Yoon over his failed Dec. 3 martial law declaration, rather than taking over the case. Since only the police have the authority to investigate insurrection cases, Lee argued that the CIO's decision to lead the case through a joint investigation may have created loopholes, ultimately contributing to Yoon’s release last week.
Lee also criticized the Democratic Party’s role in establishing the CIO, which was the ruling party at the time under the Moon Jae-in administration.
"I have questioned whether the CIO, hastily created by the Democratic Party as part of its prosecution reforms, could maintain political neutrality, given that the president holds the authority to appoint its chief," Lee said.
Lee’s bill to abolish the CIO has garnered support from 12 other lawmakers, including two from the Reform Party and 10 from the ruling People Power Party.
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