Interior ministry says 2,375 seek Serious Crimes Investigation Agency posts

The interior ministry said Thursday that 2,375 prosecution office employees had volunteered for special appointments to the planned Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, equivalent to 82.6 percent of its staffing quota.

Applications were accepted from Aug. 7 through 6 p.m. Thursday. The task force said it would not release a breakdown by occupation, rank or name because disclosure could affect future personnel management.

The agency has 2,874 authorized positions, including 2,567 for investigators and 307 for general civil servants and other staff. The task force will consider applicants' preferred work locations, experience and expertise when selecting special appointees in September ahead of its Oct. 2 launch.

Existing prosecutors and prosecution investigators may be appointed to the agency without a separate examination under special appointment rules available through April 30, 2027.

The planned organization will operate a headquarters and six regional offices, investigating corruption, economic offenses, defense procurement, narcotics, national protection, cybercrime and legal distortion.

"The agency will be a core institution leading prosecutorial reform through the separation of investigation and prosecution, a demand of the times, and we thank the prosecution office employees who applied voluntarily and will carry out subsequent procedures without disruption for a stable launch," Kim Min-jae, head of the task force, said.

The planned Public Prosecution Agency still has no settled structure or headcount, and staffing reductions at the prosecution office remain undecided. Unfilled roles will be considered for further special appointments after those reductions are determined, and the agency plans competitive recruitment of police, lawyers, accountants, and cybertechnology and financial-analysis specialists.