Ryu Sam-yeong "Police self-esteem has sunk as if digging into a tunnel"

Former Ulsan Jungbu Police Chief, Interview on Kim Eo-jun News Factory
"Prosecutors Coming Back Undermines Police Presence"

"There is an expression that says 'self-esteem has hit rock bottom,' right? But this is even worse?self-esteem has dug a tunnel underground. People are very hurt in their pride over the appointment of a former prosecutor as the head of the National Police Agency's Investigation Headquarters."

Ryu Sam-yeong, former chief superintendent of Ulsan Jungbu Police Station, said this on the 28th in an interview with the YouTube broadcast 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory,' hosted by broadcaster Kim Eo-jun. Superintendent Ryu said, "Bringing in a prosecutor as the head of the National Police Agency's Investigation Headquarters is something that cannot be conceived from the police's perspective."

Regarding the case where former prosecutor and human rights supervisor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, was appointed as the head of the National Police Agency's Investigation Headquarters but was forced to resign due to his son's school violence issue, he conveyed the internal atmosphere within the police.

Ryu Sam-young, Chief Superintendent who led the National Chief Superintendents' Meeting opposing the establishment of the Police Bureau and was disciplined, appeared as a witness at the plenary meeting of the Administrative Safety Committee held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of August 18, 2022, responding to lawmakers' questions. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Superintendent Ryu explained, "(The head of the Investigation Headquarters) commands all provincial police chiefs regarding investigations related to the Criminal Procedure Act. He can also command the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency," adding, "He can command each police chief, police commissioner, and investigators."

Superintendent Ryu also expressed concerns about the possibility of another prosecutor being appointed as the head of the Investigation Headquarters.

"What the police earnestly hope for is that if this responsibility is entrusted to us, we will do it very well. There is such internal sentiment, and the fact that prosecutors are coming back now completely undermines the police's presence and self-esteem, so we earnestly want to avoid that."

Superintendent Ryu said, "Basically, the head of the National Investigation Headquarters is supposed to be selected from within the police, and only when necessary, through an open recruitment process, can a person with certain qualifications be appointed. Fundamentally, selecting from within the police is the legal principle."

Superintendent Ryu also emphasized the importance of mutual checks and balances.

He said, "The authority to enforce the Criminal Procedure Act carries a high risk of infringing on citizens' human rights, so if it is concentrated on one side, human rights protection will not be ensured," adding, "The police, prosecutors, and courts should be separated step by step. The police's actions should be reviewed by the prosecutors, and whether the prosecutors violated human rights should be examined by the courts."

Regarding lawyer Jeong Soon-shin's statement that the purpose of investigation is a guilty verdict, he also pointed out his disagreement.

Superintendent Ryu said, "Investigations are meant to uncover the substantive truth, and innocent people should be cleared as innocent. It is not possible to conduct investigations with the purpose of finding everyone guilty," adding, "(The police) cannot proceed with investigative procedures aimed at a guilty verdict."