'12·3 Emergency Martial Law Involvement Suspicion' Park Hyun-su Appointed as Seoul Police Chief

Three Opposition Parties Demand Immediate Withdrawal of "Yoon-Aligned" Appointments

Controversy has arisen as Park Hyun-soo, Director of the Police Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, who is suspected of being involved in the 'December 3 Emergency Martial Law Incident,' was appointed as the Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 7th.

Hyunsoo Park, Director of the Police Bureau, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, National Police Agency. Yonhap News

Director Park was appointed to key positions such as the Personnel Verification Team of the Presidential Transition Committee and the National Situation Room of the Presidential Office under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, followed by Director of the Police Security Information Bureau and Director of the Police Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

It was revealed that Director Park made several phone calls with then Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho, then Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and Police Security Bureau Director Lim Jeong-ju immediately after the declaration of martial law on December 3.

Chairman Shin Jeong-hoon of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, Democratic Party Whip Yoon Gun-young, and committee members are making a statement. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

The Democratic Party, the People's Party for Innovation and Justice, and the Basic Income Party criticized the recent promotion of senior police officials on the 5th, stating, "This is a blatant personnel appointment favoring only Yoon Seok-yeol, a surprise appointment to silence the insurrection, and we will thoroughly uncover the truth behind it," and demanded, "It must be immediately withdrawn."

Members of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee?Shin Jeong-hoon, Yoon Gun-young, Kim Seong-hoe, Mo Kyung-jong, Park Jeong-hyun, Yang Bu-nam, Yong Hye-in, Wi Seong-gon, Lee Gwang-hee, Lee Sang-sik, Lee Hae-sik, Jeong Chun-saeng, Chae Hyun-il, and Han Byung-do?issued a statement on the same day, saying, "Park Hyun-soo, who served from the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's transition committee to the National Situation Room and as Director of the Police Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is a figure who has prospered under the Yoon Seok-yeol government," and pointed out, "This proves that the police have not yet escaped the shadow of Yoon Seok-yeol, the leader of the insurrection."