A government-experts panel selected Friday three former senior prosecutors and one former judge as candidates to lead a new investigative agency for serious crimes. The panel of government officials and private experts shortlisted the four candidates — three current practicing lawyers and a law professor — to lead the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, set to be launched early next month, the nomination committee said. They will be submitted to Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung, who will pick one final candidate for the appointment by President Lee Jae Myung. Lee will formally appoint the agency chief after a parliamentary confirmation hearing. The nomination committee was launched to make candidate recommendations for the inaugural agency chief, ahead of the agency's planned launch on Oct. 2. It has also received public recommendations for the candidates. The new agency is being established as part of a sweeping reform in the criminal justice system that centers on stripping prosecutors of their independent and supplementary investigative powers. One of the candidates is Moon Hong-ju, a