Seoul:President Lee Jae Myung has submitted a request to the National Assembly for a confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, his nominee to lead the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), amid persistent opposition from hard-liners within the ruling party.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee has been actively defending Kim on social media and has tried to address concerns from party hard-liners during a dinner with former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae. Despite these efforts, notable figures such as Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae and lawmakers Kim Yong-min and Park Eun-jung are urging the withdrawal of Kim's nomination, criticizing him as a "prosecution loyalist."

The SCIA, tasked with investigating serious crimes, has jurisdiction over offenses like bribery of public officials, influence-peddling, and Political Funds Act violations, making political neutrality a crucial qualification for its chief. The controversy within the ruling party, however, seems focused on whether Kim aligns with the party, rather than his ability to maintain political impartiality.

President Lee has responded to accusations labeling Kim as a "pro-Yoon Suk Yeol prosecutor" by ordering further vetting and condemning false claims as an obstruction of state affairs. This internal conflict highlights the tension between the party's stated goals of prosecutorial reform and the reality of political expectations.

The debate underscores a contradiction within the ruling party's stance on political neutrality in investigative institutions. Critics, including opposition politicians, have mocked the situation, suggesting that Kim might need to demonstrate loyalty to the Democratic Party to secure the position, pointing to the inconsistency in the party's public and private demands regarding political neutrality.