"Trying It Once with the People" Criticism of Park Hyun-soo, Seoul Cheongjang Nominee, by the Chairman of the Public Administration Committee

Shin Jeong-hoon, Chairman of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, criticized the recent high-ranking police personnel appointments on the 18th, saying, "This situation is like challenging the people."

Shin Jeong-hoon, Chairman of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. Photo by Yonhap News

At the committee's full meeting that day, Chairman Shin stated, "It will be revealed in detail who made these appointments. They are inappropriate personnel decisions," and added, "This must, of course, be restored to the original state."

Chairman Shin pointed out, "Park Hyun-soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, denies any charges related to the insurrection incident, but he was the most actively involved," and said, "He assisted former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and managed the situation. Someone in such a position should not try to easily evade responsibility." In response, Acting Chief Park replied, "I have sufficiently explained to the investigative authorities."

Earlier, controversy arose when Park Hyun-soo, Director of the Police Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, was appointed as the chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 7th. Acting Chief 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, as well as Director of the Police Intelligence Bureau at the National Police Agency and Director of the Police Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. It was revealed that Acting Chief Park had multiple phone calls with Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho, former Minister Lee Sang-min, and Director of the Police Security Bureau Im Jeong-ju immediately after the martial law declaration.