Special Inspector System Returns After a 10-Year Fall From Grace

President Lee Jae-myung gave final approval on the 23rd to the appointment of Choi Gil-soo as special inspector. The post, which had sat vacant for a decade, has finally been filled, and the system is once again in operation.

On the 22nd, the day before the appointment was approved, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a plenary session and adopted a personnel hearing report that included both qualified and unqualified opinions on the nominee. The qualified opinion expressed Choi's commitment to maintaining political neutrality and independence. The unqualified opinion, by contrast, noted that if the ruling party's recommended nominee were appointed, it would be difficult for the inspector to carry out oversight independently.

The system was created in 2014 as a campaign pledge of the Park Geun-hye administration, and in March 2015 lawyer Lee Seok-soo was appointed as its first special inspector. However, in September 2016, Lee resigned after clashing with the Blue House during his investigation into allegations of misconduct by Woo Byung-woo, then senior presidential secretary for civil affairs. Thereafter, the Moon Jae-in administration declined to appoint a special inspector, citing overlap in functions with the Corruption Investigation Office, and the Yoon Suk-yeol administration cited the absence of a National Assembly nominee recommendation — leaving the post empty for roughly a decade.

What set the discussion back in motion was a remark by President Lee himself. At a press conference marking his first 30 days in office in July last year, Lee said, "For the sake of my own well-being as someone who holds power, it is good to be checked," and directed that a special inspector be appointed. He subsequently named Choi as the nominee on August 24, and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing on September 18.