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Lee nominates human rights lawyer as chief state auditor

Published: 07 Dec. 2025, 15:05 Updated: 07 Dec. 2025, 16:51

Kim Ho-cheol, the nominee for the chair of the Board of Audit [YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung has nominated human rights lawyer Kim Ho-cheol as the new chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), the presidential office said Sunday.

Kim, an attorney at the law firm KlassHankyul, previously served as chairman of the Korean National Police Commission and co-representative of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, a leading environmental civic group.

Kim also served as president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a liberal lawyers' association, and as a member of the committee investigating suspicious deaths of soldiers.

"Kim is a leading human rights lawyer who has played a central role in safeguarding the public interest and social values," said Lee Kyu-yeon, presidential secretary for public relations and communication, in a briefing.

"He is expected to be the right person and a qualified expert to normalize the role of the BAI chief and restore its constitutional value of political neutrality, independence and public trust," Lee added.

Kim is set to go through a parliamentary confirmation hearing, though no date has been set yet. His nomination is subject to parliamentary approval.

Former BAI chief Choe Jae-hae retired last month after completing his four-year term. He faced an impeachment motion last December but remained in office after the Constitutional Court dismissed the case.

The BAI has been at the center of a political controversy in recent years, with critics claiming the institution had been used for politically motivated audits under previous administrations.

Last week, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials raided the BAI over a contentious audit carried out during former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration.

Yonhap