Nominee Yoon Hee-geun's Confirmation Hearing... Continued Dispute Between Ruling and Opposition Over Police Bureau Establishment

Yoon Hee-geun, the nominee for Commissioner of the National Police Agency, is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 8th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] At the parliamentary confirmation hearing for Yoon Hee-geun, the nominee for Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, held on the morning of the 8th, the controversy over the establishment of the Police Bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety emerged as a major issue. Nominee Yoon bowed his head and said, "I am sorry for causing concern to the public" regarding the conflict between the government and the police organization that arose during the process of establishing the Police Bureau. However, he also emphasized, "Police authority must also be subject to checks and supervision," adding, "At the same time, neutrality and accountability are values that must never be compromised."

Yoon Hee-geun: "I will unite the minds of the members and revitalize the atmosphere"

In his opening remarks at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee confirmation hearing, Nominee Yoon stated regarding the controversy over the establishment of the Police Bureau, "I believe it stems from a loving heart for the police, despite differences in positions and circumstances, including the concerns of the policy department, opinions of field colleagues, and worries of the public." He continued, "With an open mind, I will closely cooperate with related agencies to establish a sustainable public safety system and a more efficient criminal justice system, and at the same time, quickly unite the minds of the members and revitalize the atmosphere to faithfully carry out our original duties."

He also did not omit emphasizing the police's core duty of public safety. He said, "Public safety is a basic right of the people and the reason for the police's existence," and added, "We will create a safe community so that the public can fully enjoy a happy daily life free from the anxiety of crime and danger." Nominee Yoon further stated, "We will establish law and order, common sense, and principles on the foundation of fairness and empathy," and "We will strictly punish illegal acts and violence and enforce the law without any bias to spread public consensus that 'law-abiding is beneficial.'"

He also promised to reform the police organizational culture. Nominee Yoon said, "The honor of uniformed officers and the pride and dignity of frontline sites are the core driving forces that enhance the dignity of police activities," and "We will improve treatment and expand welfare infrastructure so that officers can devote themselves to their duties confidently and proudly." He added, "Based on close communication and practical education, we will enhance individual problem-solving abilities and create a lively and vibrant workplace atmosphere."

Yoon Hee-geun, the nominee for Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 8th and responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Debate over the necessity of the Police Bureau... 'Unconstitutional' vs. 'Normalization of Control'

Following Nominee Yoon's opening remarks, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the necessity of establishing the Police Bureau. Kim Cheol-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, particularly criticized Nominee Yoon, saying, "His stance as acting commissioner during the establishment of the Police Bureau was very ambiguous," and "He did not represent the position of the 140,000 police officers responsible for the lives of the people but rather represented the positions of the Yoon Seok-yeol government and Minister Lee Sang-min, faithfully carrying out their orders." Kim added, "I feel that half of the responsibility for the public backlash against the establishment of the Police Bureau lies with the nominee, which is very regrettable."

Moon Jin-seok, also from the Democratic Party, said, "Forcing the establishment of the Police Bureau while denying the history of democracy and violating the constitution raises suspicions that it was intended to interfere with police investigative authority." He further expressed concern, saying, "The means to control public officials is personnel authority," and "I believe the pre- and post-personnel appointments are measures to interfere with investigative authority." In response, Nominee Yoon said, "I am aware of such concerns," and "If given the opportunity, I will exercise the personnel authority I have as commissioner within the legal scope with conviction."

On the other hand, Park Sung-min of the People Power Party countered the controversy over the Police Bureau's establishment, saying, "It is intended to properly normalize personnel and management control, which were previously done behind closed doors in past governments, through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety." He questioned, "Isn't the Police Bureau's establishment rather a normalization compared to secretive collusion at the Blue House, and shouldn't the police support it?" Nominee Yoon responded, "I partially agree with the points raised," and "I understand that some frontline police officers who opposed the establishment of the Police Bureau are concerned because of past history where neutrality and accountability were compromised."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Is the reversal of the Superintendent General personnel a disruption of national order? Yoon Hee-geun unable to answer

There was also a dispute over the appropriateness of disciplinary action against Superintendent General Ryu Sam-young, who led the nationwide police chiefs' meeting opposing the establishment of the Police Bureau last month and was subsequently placed on standby. Kim Woong of the People Power Party said, "The nationwide police chiefs' meeting claims to have gathered for the people, but what did the police do during the Jeong-in case and the Incheon villa noise dispute?" and added, "I want to say they should reflect on those matters before holding the chiefs' meeting." Conversely, Song Jae-ho of the Democratic Party questioned, "The nominee communicated and managed the contents of the superintendent general meeting well but suddenly took the measure of placing him on standby just two hours after the meeting ended," and asked, "Can such a person lead 130,000 police officers?"

The issue of forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen was also mentioned. Jeon Bong-min of the People Power Party pointed out, "On November 7, 2019, when two North Korean fishermen were repatriated to North Korea, eight members of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Special Police Unit were deployed," and "This was the first time since the unit's establishment that they were dispatched upon an external request." Jeon urged Nominee Yoon, saying, "Independence and neutrality are the most important for the police," and "If you become the commissioner, I hope you will decisively determine why and under what orders the Special Police Unit, which has never been dispatched on an external request, was sent by the Blue House."

Questions were also raised about the reversal of the Superintendent General personnel appointments. Earlier, on June 21, the National Police Agency announced the personnel appointments for Superintendent Generals but reversed the decision two hours later. President Yoon Seok-yeol criticized the unprecedented incident as a "disruption of national order." On this day, Cho Eung-cheon of the Democratic Party asked Nominee Yoon, "Do you agree with President Yoon's statement that the National Police Agency caused a disruption of national order by publicly releasing the personnel list handed over by the Minister of the Interior and Safety to the Presidential Office without proper verification?" Nominee Yoon was unable to answer.