Key Tasks of the CIO
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is an independent investigation agency that has investigative jurisdiction with regards to crimes committed by high-ranking officials or their family members.
“High-ranking Officials” That Are Subject to CIO Investigation
Subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (the “CIO Act”) defines the scope of “high-ranking officials,” and according thereto, “high-ranking officials” includes the following positions
“High-ranking Officials” as prescribed in the CIO Act
- The President
- The Chief Justice and a Justice of the Supreme Court
- The President and a Justice of the Constitutional Court
- The Prime Minister and a public official in political service belonging to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat
- A public official in political service of the National Election Commission
- A public official in political service of a central administrative agency under subparagraph 2 of Article 2 of the Act on Public Sector Audits
- A public official of Grade III or higher belonging to the Office of the President, the Office of National Security, the Presidential Security Service, or the National Intelligence Service
- A public official in political service of the National Assembly Secretariat, the National Assembly Library, the National Assembly Budget Office, or the National Assembly Research Service
- A public official in political service of the Office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Judicial Policy Research Institute, the Training Institute for Court Officials, or the Department of Court Administration of the Constitutional Court
- The Prosecutor General
- The Special Metropolitan City Mayor, a Metropolitan City Mayor, a Special Self-Governing City Mayor, a Do Governor, a Special Self-Governing Province Governor, or a Superintendent of Education
- A judge or a prosecutor
- A police official not lower than a Superintendent General
- A general-grade officer
- A Governor, Deputy Governor, or Chief Executive Auditor of the Financial Supervisory Service
- A public official of Grade III or higher belonging to the Board of Audit and Inspection, the National Tax Service, the Fair Trade Commission, or the Financial Services Commission
In the case of corruption of the Chief Justice or a Justice of the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General, a judge or a prosecutor, or a police official not lower than a Superintendent General, the CIO shall have authority to investigations as well as prosecutions