Under the Police Act, the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency undergoes a hearing
The heads of provincial police agencies consult with committees
Supplementary measures needed to prevent recurrence
Concerns have been raised that the appointment process's loopholes were fully exposed after lawyer Jeong Sun-shin was dismissed just one day after being appointed as the head of the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters. Since the purpose of establishing the National Investigation Headquarters was to guarantee the neutrality and independence of police investigations, voices are emerging that the appointment process for its head should also involve thorough verification steps.
The National Police Agency conducted the appointment process for the head of the National Investigation Headquarters in accordance with the "Act on the Organization and Operation of the National Police and Autonomous Police (Police Act)" and the "Police Officers Act." On the 5th of last month, the recruitment for the head of the National Investigation Headquarters began under the Police Act, closing on the 16th of the same month, followed by about a month of personnel verification. Subsequently, based on the Police Officers Act, Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun recommended, and President Yoon Seok-yeol appointed lawyer Jeong as the second head of the National Investigation Headquarters.
The National Investigation Headquarters is responsible for investigations among the police duties divided into national, autonomous, and investigative sectors, in line with the adjustment of investigative authority between prosecutors and police. It is also an organization that oversees almost all aspects of the investigative field, commanding about 30,000 investigative police officers. Next year, it will also receive the 'counterintelligence investigative authority' from the National Intelligence Service. The head of this powerful organization is the head of the National Investigation Headquarters.
The position of head of the National Investigation Headquarters, unlike the heads of the national police (Commissioner General of the National Police Agency) and autonomous police (heads of city/provincial police agencies), does not have separate checks and balances. According to the Police Act, the appointment of the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency must go through a confirmation hearing by the National Assembly. The heads of city/provincial police agencies are required to be recommended by the Commissioner General in consultation with the city/provincial autonomous police committee. The investigative police chief is the only one who does not undergo a committee composed of external personnel or a confirmation hearing.
The National Investigation Headquarters was newly established two years ago with the aim of enhancing the independence of police investigations. Even then, there were claims that the head, as a crucial position overseeing police investigations and serving as a shield against external pressures, should undergo thorough verification of qualifications and morality. Calls for a confirmation hearing before appointment were in line with these arguments.
Some argue that the lack of separate checks such as a confirmation hearing for the head of the National Investigation Headquarters led to personnel disasters like that of lawyer Jeong. They say it is difficult to find a suitable candidate without issues through only the National Police Agency's internal personnel verification and cross-verification by other institutions. Accordingly, as this incident revealed deficiencies in the appointment process, voices are calling for supplementary measures to prevent recurrence.
Professor Kim Do-woo of the Department of Police Science at Gyeongnam National University said, "No country in the world appoints the head of investigative police simply by looking at a list of past careers like we do. Verification should go through several stages to select someone with the ability, qualifications, and communication and harmony skills within the institution."
Separately, within the police, calls for accountability regarding Commissioner Yoon are expected to intensify. The National Workplace Police Council also criticized in a statement yesterday afternoon, saying, "If Commissioner Yoon is himself undermining the neutrality of the police, which is protected by the Constitution and laws, he must not forget that he can no longer fulfill his duties as the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency."
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