Ruling and Opposition Clash Over 'Jeong Sun-shin Successor' at the Public Administration Committee

Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Over Next National Investigation Headquarters Chief Appointment
Backlash Over Reduced Access to Former President Roh Moo-hyun's Records

At the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee held on the afternoon of the 22nd, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the appointment of the next head of the National Investigation Headquarters. The opposition intensified its offensive by advocating a 'no prosecutors allowed' stance, while the ruling party focused on rebutting this.

Democratic Party lawmakers continued to make remarks during the current affairs questioning, directed at Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun, emphasizing that "the next head of the National Investigation Headquarters should be an internal appointment." This was a direct reference to lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, who was appointed but fell from the position due to her son’s school violence issue and who is a former prosecutor.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Hae-sik said, "I believe that if a prosecutor is appointed as the head of the National Investigation Headquarters, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the prosecution and police become one entity." He added, "If the investigation and prosecution rights are held simultaneously, there could be cases where people who should be prosecuted are overlooked, or those who should not be prosecuted are forcibly prosecuted." Lawmaker Oh Young-hwan also pointed out, "Why was the National Investigation Headquarters originally established? Wasn't it set up as a separate and independent body to disperse the investigative power of law enforcement agencies during the adjustment of prosecution and police investigation rights?" He questioned, "Do you think it is appropriate to appoint a former prosecutor to such a position?"

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, is reporting on duties at the full meeting of the Public Administration and Security Committee held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Fellow party member Choi Ki-sang also cited former head Nam Gu-jun, who was promoted from within the police, as an example, saying, "There is an opinion that a former prosecutor does not necessarily have to come to the head of the National Investigation Headquarters, and I agree." He asked Commissioner Yoon, "I understand that the selection procedures for internal and external appointments are different."

In response, Commissioner Yoon said, "If appointed externally, it requires a period of more than 50 days, but if it is an internal appointment, it only requires the appointing authority to proceed with promotion or lateral transfer."

Then, Park Sung-min of the People Power Party retorted, "When the National Investigation Headquarters was established, the Moon Jae-in administration saw it as a way to prevent the police from becoming an oversized organization and believed it was possible to appoint an external person as the head." Park asked, "Have some lawmakers recently received recommendations that only internal personnel should be appointed as the head of the National Investigation Headquarters? I think the original purpose of the law was nullified and changed. What do you think?"

Commissioner Yoon replied, "Such opinions are being heard not only from lawmakers but also from inside and outside the organization, suggesting that it might be necessary under the current circumstances. However, I think what is important is who has the capability, experience, and leadership suitable for the position of head of the National Investigation Headquarters, not whether they are a former prosecutor or judge."

Also at the Public Administration and Security Committee meeting that day, there was criticism regarding the government's preparation of a revised enforcement decree that narrows the scope of access to designated records of former President Roh Moo-hyun by his bereaved family. The revised enforcement decree separately stipulates the procedure for designating a proxy upon recommendation by the bereaved family when a former president dies, and the scope of access that this proxy can have.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Hyung-seok demanded, "It is not acceptable to allow only limited access to the records in this way. Please review it again." In response, Han Chang-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, "I believe the scope of application should differ between a sitting president and a former president after death."