Presidential spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung announces President Yoon Suk Yeol's nomination for the new chief prosecutor at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials during a press briefing at Yoon's office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Oh Dong-woon / Courtesy of presidential office

President Yoon Suk Yeol named former judge Oh Dong-woon as the new chief prosecutor of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), Friday.

The nomination, which came after three months of delays, was made at a time when the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which controls the National Assembly, is pushing for a special counsel probe into a political allegation involving the death of a Marine last year, raising doubts on the CIO's capabilities in investigating the case.

On Sunday, Oh said he plans to undertake an investigation into politically sensitive cases, including one related to the Marine's death, if he takes office, in accordance with laws and principles.

"If I become the CIO chief, I plan to work hard to ensure that the CIO will establishes itself as an independent investigative agency and becomes an effective organization," Oh told reporters when arriving at his temporary office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province to prepare for his upcoming parliamentary confirmation hearing.

Oh's appointment is subject to a parliamentary confirmation process, although his appointment does not require Assembly approval.

The presidential office said the nomination is not related to the opposition's push for the special counsel probe, playing down criticisms that it is attempting to disrupt the fair investigation.

Presidential spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung said during a press briefing that Yoon picked Oh, who is now a lawyer, among two candidates recommended by the National Assembly.

Oh is a Seoul National University graduate, and served as judge at district courts in Busan and Ulsan. He is now working as a lawyer for law firm Keumseong.

The CIO was established in 2021 as an independent administrative organization separate from the prosecution, and is capable of investigating and prosecuting government officials involved in corruption allegations.

Though it is mandated at investigating high-profile cases, its leadership has been vacant for three months after Kim Jin-wook, its first chief prosecutor appointed by Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae-in, left office in January.

This has triggered the opposition's criticisms that Yoon is delaying the nomination to incapacitate the CIO's probe into an allegation that the Yoon administration influenced the military's investigation into the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died last year in a flash flood during a search-and-rescue operation.

Due to this, the DPK is seeking to pass a bill on launching a separate special counsel probe to look into the allegation.

The presidential office said the nomination is unrelated to Chae's death, and took time to "carefully consider the fairness of the nominee."

"Chae's case was filed with the CIO last September, when the previous chief prosecutor was working, and the special counsel bill was also tabled last September, regardless of the CIO's investigation," an official at the presidential office said.

"We are aware of criticisms that the vetting process is being delayed to incapacitate the investigation, but it is an unfair accusation."