Acting Commissioner, Chief of National Investigation Headquarters, and Seoul Police Commissioner
Considered Leading Candidates Within the Police Force
With the Constitutional Court having dismissed Cho Jiho as Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, attention is now focused on the appointment of the next commissioner, a post that has remained vacant for over a year. Behind-the-scenes competition is intensifying over who will become the first police chief appointed since the change of administration.
Yu Jaesung, Acting Commissioner of the National Police Agency, Park Sungjoo, Chief of the National Investigation Headquarters, Park Jongbo, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The Asia Business Daily DB
According to the police on December 19, three senior superintendents general are currently being discussed as strong candidates for the next Commissioner General of the National Police Agency: Yu Jaesung, Acting Commissioner, Park Sungjoo, Chief of the National Investigation Headquarters, and Park Jongbo, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Within the police, there is growing consensus that the race has effectively narrowed to these three candidates.
Acting Commissioner Yu has led the organization since the 12·3 Martial Law incident. He has experience in both investigative and planning departments, and, as the representative of the police, issued a public apology for the martial law incident in an effort to restore trust in the organization. Chief Park of the National Investigation Headquarters is regarded as an expert in investigations, having spent most of his career in this field since joining the police. He has been recognized for his expertise through his work in digital sex crime investigations and key positions at the National Investigation Headquarters, and has recently taken an active stance against secondary offenses. Commissioner Park of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is also considered an investigation expert. Born in 1968, his relatively younger age is seen as an advantage. In contrast, both Acting Commissioner Yu and Chief Park were born in 1966 and will reach the mandatory retirement age under current law next year. Although a bill that would exempt the Commissioner General from mandatory retirement during the term has been submitted to the National Assembly, it has yet to pass the relevant committee. If the law is not amended in time, both candidates could be unable to complete their terms.
There is also speculation that a surprise appointment could be made from among the senior superintendents general. Han Changhun, Commissioner of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, and Hwang Changsun, Commissioner of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, are being mentioned as potential candidates.
The Constitutional Court dismissed Commissioner Cho the previous day, 371 days after the National Assembly voted to impeach him in December last year. This is the first time in constitutional history that the head of the National Police Agency has been removed from office through impeachment by the National Assembly. The Constitutional Court found that during the martial law, Commissioner Cho ordered the blockade and control of access to the National Assembly, which forced lawmakers to climb over the walls or prevented them from entering altogether, resulting in delays to plenary sessions. The court pointed out that these actions were carried out to implement unconstitutional and unlawful orders from the president, violated the principles of representative democracy and separation of powers, and infringed on lawmakers' constitutional rights, including their rights to deliberate and vote.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
