Changes in Assignment Continue After Promotion to Police Superintendent
Ending Police Career in 'Investigation' Specialty Field
Woo Jong-su, the new head of the National Investigation Headquarters, began his two-year term upon his inauguration on the 29th. Known as a representative 'investigation expert,' he will ignite the final spark of his police career in his specialty field.
Director Woo, a native of Seoul, graduated from Sungkyunkwan University and joined the police in 1999 through a special recruitment from the 38th Administrative Examination. Since then, he has held various positions including Chief of Yongsan Police Station in Seoul, Personnel Officer at the National Police Agency, Security Policy Officer at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Head of the Investigation Department at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and Manager of Forensic Investigation at the National Police Agency.
Throughout his career in the police organization, Director Woo has distinguished himself in investigative functions. In 2018, as Head of the Investigation Department at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, he led the 'Druking Comment Manipulation Case,' and during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, he served as the team leader of the task force dedicated to investigating the sexual harassment allegations against the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul. These roles reflect his investigative skills and leadership.
After his promotion to Police Commissioner, he experienced several key positions. He served as Chief of the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, Director of the Criminal Affairs Bureau at the National Police Agency, and Deputy Commissioner (Police Commissioner) at the National Police Agency, although his tenure in these roles was relatively short, ranging from three to six months.
After his promotion to Police Commissioner, Director Woo served as Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency before being appointed Chief of the Southern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency last January. At that time, he was also mentioned as a successor to Nam Gu-jun, the then head of the National Investigation Headquarters, but in February of the same year, lawyer Jeong Soon-shin was selected, seemingly marking the end of his police career as Chief of the Southern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency.
However, lawyer Jeong resigned voluntarily just one day after her appointment due to her son's school violence issue, which propelled Director Woo back into the spotlight as a leading candidate for the new head of the National Investigation Headquarters. Ultimately, he was chosen by Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun and President Yoon Suk-yeol. Director Woo will oversee and command approximately 35,000 investigative police officers nationwide for the next two years.
According to the Police Act, the term for the head of the National Investigation Headquarters is two years, with no possibility of reappointment. Upon completion of the term, retirement is mandatory. For Director Woo, this means he can conclude his 20-year police career as the head of his specialty function.
In his inaugural remarks, he stated, "Together with my fellow officers, I will build a more advanced crime eradication system," and added, "I will strengthen the functions of the National Investigation Headquarters to achieve an overall improvement in police investigative capabilities."
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