Jo Byeong-no, a police superintendent general who was suspected of exerting undue external pressure related to the customs drug investigation case at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, has been transferred from the Suwon Nambu Police Station Chief to the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency. Some view this as effectively a 'lateral move.'
On the 14th, Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho appointed Superintendent General Jo from the Suwon Nambu Police Station Chief to the Head of the Community Safety Division at the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency.
At the National Assembly confirmation hearing on the 29th of last month, when Basic Income Party lawmaker Yong Hye-in asked, "Will you take personnel action against Superintendent General Jo?" Commissioner Jo replied, "I will review it. It is definitely worth reviewing."
Regarding the demotion of Inspector Baek Hae-ryong, who claimed to have faced investigative pressure, from the Criminal Division Chief at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station to the Chief of the Hwagok Precinct at the Gangseo Police Station, Commissioner Jo stated, "Since the case is under concentrated investigation command by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, there is an obligation to report key details to the Seoul Police Agency, but (Inspector Baek) violated public relations regulations multiple times," adding, "This is not a retaliatory personnel action."
Earlier, while serving as the Criminal Division Chief at Yeongdeungpo Police Station last year, Inspector Baek revealed that he had received investigative pressure from Superintendent General Jo, then Head of the Community Safety Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, to "remove the Customs Service from the press release" during an investigation into suspected collusion between drug syndicate members and customs officials.
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