'Reprimanded for "Gukgimunran" Scandal
Voluntary Resignation One Month Before Term Ends
Woo Cheol-moon, Kim Kwang-ho, Yoon Hee-geun Mentioned
Unexpected Candidate Possible
Must Start Bearing Internal and External Challenges Like MOIS Control and Internal Opposition'
Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, is arriving at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 27th. After arriving at work that day, Commissioner Kim expressed his intention to resign. [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, tendered his resignation on the 27th, about a month before the end of his term. This comes just four days after President Yoon Seok-yeol reprimanded him, mentioning a "serious breach of national discipline" over the controversy surrounding the reversal of the Superintendent General personnel appointments.
The National Police Agency stated on the 27th, "Commissioner Kim submitted his resignation today," and added, "There will be an additional statement released this afternoon." Kim's resignation is interpreted as a comprehensive response to the government's police control measures, the escalating internal calls for leadership accountability, and President Yoon's criticism regarding the Superintendent General personnel reversal incident. On the 16th, ahead of the announcement of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Police System Improvement Advisory Committee's recommendations, Kim posted a letter on the internal network stating, "The neutrality and independence of the police are immutable values," and declared, "I will not cling to my position."
The immediate cause of his resignation was the personnel reversal incident that occurred on the 21st. On the same day the advisory committee's recommendations were announced, the police announced the Superintendent General appointments but reversed them about two hours later. Seven positions were changed during this process. The police explained at the time that it was a "mistake due to poor communication with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Presidential Office," but the controversy deepened after it was revealed that the announcement was made before presidential approval. In response, President Yoon said on the 23rd, "This is a very serious breach of national discipline," and called it "an absurd mistake that a public official should never make." When asked on the 24th whether this implied pressure for the police chief to resign, President Yoon replied, "Well, there is only about a month left in the (police chief's) term; does that really matter?" This was interpreted as meaning "It doesn't matter whether he steps down or stays." It was also read as implying that the role of the police chief is not crucial at this point in time.
Woo Cheol-moon, Busan Police Chief (far left) - Kim Kwang-ho, Seoul Police Chief - Yoon Hee-geun, Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency. / Photo by National Police Agency
With Commissioner Kim stepping down, the appointment process for the next police chief is expected to proceed swiftly. Currently, Woo Cheol-moon, Commissioner of the Busan Police Agency, Kim Kwang-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Police Agency, and Yoon Hee-geun, Deputy Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, are being strongly considered for the position. Earlier this month, during the Superintendent General personnel appointments, it was widely expected that Deputy Commissioner Yoon would move directly to the chief position to maintain continuity, but recently Commissioners Woo and Kim have surged as strong contenders, creating a three-way race. The possibility of an unexpected candidate being appointed cannot be ruled out. According to the Police Organization Act, the Commissioner General (Chief Superintendent General) must be selected from among the seven Superintendent Generals. It is known that the police have submitted personnel data for the six Superintendent Generals, excluding the fixed-term head of the National Investigation Headquarters, to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The Deputy Commissioner General, and the commissioners of Seoul, Busan, Incheon, and Southern Gyeonggi, as well as the head of the Korean National Police University, are all Superintendent Generals appointed last month under the current administration.
The new police chief is expected to begin their term amid a challenging internal and external environment. They will need to stabilize the unsettled internal atmosphere following Kim's resignation and devise countermeasures against the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's intensified police control plans. However, the consensus inside and outside the police is that the situation will not be easy. In particular, it is analyzed that the recent Superintendent General personnel reversal incident has weakened the justification for resisting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's police control efforts. A police official who requested anonymity said, "The Superintendent General personnel reversal incident ultimately gave the Ministry of the Interior and Safety the excuse that 'accidents happen when the police are left in charge,'" adding, "It highlighted the necessity of police control."
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