KIM HOLDS FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE

[Anchor Lead]

Kim Jin-wook, head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, held the first press conference since the launch of the CIO 5 months ago and talked about various pending issues. He vowed to ensure an investigation into former prosecutor general and leading presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl will not impact the presidential election.

[Pkg]

The CIO booked former top prosecutor Yoon Seok-youl on power abuse charges on June 4. The move caused quite a stir as Yoon was making earnest steps into the political circle.

[Soundbite] Bae June-young(People Power Party spokesperson(Jun. 10)) : "It was more than odd for the CIO to announce the investigation a day after Yoon made a public appearance."

In the first press conference since becoming CIO chief, Kim provided an explanation. He said it’s difficult to avoid controversial cases in the name of political neutrality and doing so is neither desirable. On whether the investigation into Yoon will be concluded before presidential candidates are determined, Kim said he has no intention to influence the election and that as the head of an investigative agency, he will make sure that such concerns are unwarranted.

[Soundbite] Kim Jin-wook(Head of CIO) : "I believe the public wants our agency to follow legal judgments solely based on law and principle without any political consideration."

Kim noted that regarding Yoon’s case, a full-fledged investigation such as summoning related figures has not yet begun. Kim also spoke of why the CIO was looking into hiring-related favoritism allegations against Cho Hee-yeon, Seoul city’s educational superintendent. He said that in the beginning, his agency and the police happened to investigate the same case in an overlapping manner and that one side had to take it over. Kim said the CIO eventually took it over as power abuse allegations that held a heavier sentence were under probe. Kim also apologized for the controversy over preferential treatment when the CIO questioned Lee Sung-yoon, then head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. Lee was given Kim’s public vehicle to come over to the CIO for questioning. Kim said he should’ve been more careful in handling the case.