Kang Myung-koo: "Bigger Cases Than Jeju Will Come, Supplementary Investigation Must Be Re-Examined... Pacing Needed for Local Chapter Chair Direct Elections"

- Jeju missing person case? A total failure and embarrassment of the police system
- Internal controls are not enough... External agencies like the prosecution must verify
- Unrelated to supplementary investigation rights? Does the ruling party lack even basic empathy?
- Public distrust and anger grow over 'shoddy investigations'... Stop the wordplay
- Even bigger cases will erupt... Supplementary investigation rights will inevitably be restored
- Reinstating the transfer of 100% of all police investigation cases to prosecutors must also be revived
- Ruling party talks police reform after giving police a full investigative monopoly? That is giving the disease and offering the cure
- Leadership vacuum for police... President Lee's failure to appoint a National Police Agency commissioner is a dereliction of duty
- Jang Dong-hyeok emphasizing 'party member sovereignty'? It means fighting properly against the administration
- Floor leader also agrees... We must win the hearts of party members first to win over the public
- Need to adjust the pace of direct elections for local chapter chairs... 'Purging non-mainstream factions' is a misunderstanding
- Senior lawmakers' meeting? Jang Dong-hyeok will naturally accept and listen to harsh criticism

■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5MHz 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM)
■ Date: August 27, 2026 (Thursday)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Kang Myung-koo, People Power Party Lawmaker (Ranking Member of the Public Administration and Security Committee)

[Kim Tae-hyun] Controversy is growing over police falsely closing a missing person case in Jeju. In response, President Lee Jae-myung stepped forward and ordered the preparation of police reform measures. How does the opposition party view this issue? We will discuss this with Representative Kang Myung-koo of the People Power Party, who serves as the opposition ranking member on the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. Hello, Representative.

[Kang Myung-koo] Nice to meet you. I am Representative Kang Myung-koo representing Gumi-eul.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Representative, it has been a while.

[Kang Myung-koo] Nice to meet you. It has been a while.

[Kim Tae-hyun] You are the ranking member on the Public Administration and Security Committee. In fact, police issues fall under the jurisdiction of the committee. This is a very serious issue, and even the ruling party recognizes its gravity.

[Kang Myung-koo] Yes.

[Kim Tae-hyun] First of all, how do you view the Jang Mi-ran case? Where do you think the fundamental problem lies?

[Kang Myung-koo] In my view, this is a total breakdown and systemic failure of the police system. It has gone too far to be dismissed merely as an individual police officer's misconduct or deviation. From the initial report to the re-report, and all the way to clarifying suspicions, total inadequacy was revealed. An officer falsely reported that contact had been made without actually reaching the person, and closed the case based on false reporting. As a result, the remains were found after 104 days, and the body was discovered just 400 meters away from the lodging.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Indeed. Failing to find that is truly unbelievable.

[Kang Myung-koo] If they had just searched properly during the initial response, they could have saved the person's life or found her quickly. However, 118 CCTV cameras have already had their footage automatically deleted because the retention period expired.

[Kim Tae-hyun] That is right.

[Kang Myung-koo] So it is in a state where they cannot even review the footage properly. How absurd is this case? A single officer made a false report, closed the case without any supervision or checks, and a person died. It is a total breakdown and a real embarrassment.

[Kim Tae-hyun] They essentially self-closed the case.

[Kang Myung-koo] That is right.

[Kim Tae-hyun] That is the biggest problem. There was no cross-checking system above, no approval system from higher-ups, and the system was built so that the investigator in charge could unilaterally self-close a case. Beyond this, have you identified any other issues at the committee level?

[Kang Myung-koo] As a countermeasure after this problem erupted, the police proposed internal controls, such as getting an additional approval from the head of the detective division or a manager.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.

[Kang Myung-koo] I believe internal controls alone cannot filter these things out. There must be verification by external agencies.

[Kim Tae-hyun] What do you mean by external agency verification? For example, the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee?

[Kang Myung-koo] No. It could be the prosecution, the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, or various other bodies. As everyone has seen, police internal controls alone cannot address these absurd, systemic problems we are witnessing with our own eyes. I think doing it with internal controls alone is impossible.

[Kim Tae-hyun] You mentioned external oversight and the prosecution. For instance...

[Kang Myung-koo] Whether it is the prosecution or an external specialized agency, we do not know yet.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Whether it is the prosecution or the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, coincidentally, this occurred after the decision to abolish the supplementary investigation authority and completely strip the prosecution of investigative rights was made.

[Kang Myung-koo] Yes.

[Kim Tae-hyun] The People Power Party is launching an offensive, saying this is linked to the abolition of supplementary investigation authority and that the abolition must be reconsidered. On the other hand, the ruling party says this has nothing to do with investigation authority and asks why this is being linked. Yesterday, Representative Kim Young-bae called it a "far-fetched distortion."

[Kang Myung-koo] I want to protest and ask whether the ruling party making such claims has any basic empathy at all. It is a group that lacks even fundamental empathy. They are essentially saying that because this happened even while supplementary investigation authority existed, they should get rid of it. But the public is anxious that shoddy police investigations, delayed investigations, and buried cases will only increase despite the existence of supplementary investigation authority. The depth of anxiety felt by the public is truly indescribable. It has reached the point where people ask whether we can trust and rely on the police's investigative capacity.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.

[Kang Myung-koo] This is not the only case. There was the Gwangju high school girl murder case, the Gangnam Police Station drug investigation leak, and biased investigations.

[Kim Tae-hyun] There was also a case covered up at Gangnam Police Station.

[Kang Myung-koo] They covered that up as well. Furthermore, cases involving politicians like Jang Gyeong-tae and the delayed investigation into Floor Leader Kim Byung-kee have piled up, fueling immense public distrust toward the police. Telling us not to link these cases with supplementary investigation authority? Now is the time to face the anger, anxiety, and concerns felt by the public, not to engage in wordplay.

[Kim Tae-hyun] So you mean that even with prosecutorial oversight over the police, problems have erupted in multiple places, so once that is gone starting October 1, even greater chaos will follow? Who will check the police then? Is that what you are saying?

[Kang Myung-koo] Absolutely.

[Kim Tae-hyun] But realistically, is there anything the opposition party can do?

[Kang Myung-koo] Since the majority party is forcing through all legislation, I believe there is realistically no way for the opposition to block it.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.

[Kang Myung-koo] On October 2, the Prosecutors' Office will be abolished and the supplementary investigation authority will also be eliminated. There are only 36 days left. Only 36 days remain. During the committee's plenary meeting on the 24th, I asked the Minister of the Interior and Safety and the Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, and it seems the Serious Crime Investigation Agency is not yet prepared. When I requested data on the core investigative personnel, they were unable to provide it.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Preparing an entire agency in just a few months is certainly not easy.

[Kang Myung-koo] Then all the problems and pain will ultimately fall on the public. Frankly, I believe the supplementary investigation authority will eventually be restored. The reason I think so is that the current controversies are nothing compared to what is coming. Soon, far more and much larger cases will erupt. Do we have to taste something to know it is bad? Must the fears and concerns of our people become reality before we fix the system? With only 36 days left in this situation, while we must further point out and question the void in oversight over police investigations, I believe this supplementary investigation authority must be re-examined from scratch.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Are you saying that the ruling bloc will ultimately have no choice but to head down that path?

[Kang Myung-koo] Because bigger cases will erupt. Just watch. When those cases happen, will they be able to endure without institutional remedies as public concern mounts? I believe that is impossible.

[Kim Tae-hyun] That is your expectation and prediction. But the complete abolition of supplementary investigation authority will become a reality on October 1.

[Kang Myung-koo] Yes.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Under these circumstances, police power has grown significantly. It is almost as if they have gained everything. So there must be some check to prevent abuse of power. The ruling party has mentioned this as well. Is there anything the opposition party is considering?

[Kang Myung-koo] What is clear is that internal controls, where they monitor their own peers, cannot filter out the incidents happening now. Verification by external agencies is essential, and I believe the system of transferring 100% of all police-investigated cases to prosecutors must be revived.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Full case transfers. In the ruling party, both the President and leader Kim Min-seok have talked about creating a system to prevent abuse of police power, and they say they will establish a police reform promotion task force.

[Kang Myung-koo] Those people are being very disingenuous. What did the Democratic Party do when they claimed they would reform the prosecution? They stripped the prosecution of its authority. They eliminated all investigative rights and handed all authority over to the police. They gave the police a complete monopoly over investigations, granting immense authority and power, and now they claim they will reform them. That is giving the disease and offering the cure. It makes no sense.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.

[Kang Myung-koo] As police authority grew, oversight mechanisms should have been strengthened accordingly. However, from the Moon Jae-in administration to the Lee Jae-myung administration, police power was enlarged and strengthened while all checks were dismantled. How will they take responsibility for this? More importantly, I believe President Lee Jae-myung has committed a dereliction of duty.

[Kim Tae-hyun] In what aspect?

[Kang Myung-koo] He has not appointed a Commissioner General of the National Police Agency for one year and eight months.

[Kim Tae-hyun] I actually wanted to ask about that. Do you know why he has not appointed one?

[Kang Myung-koo] I do not know why either.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Have you not inquired about this at the committee level?

[Kang Myung-koo] We have only had one plenary meeting so far. A police commissioner general needs to carry out personnel reform for internal control, establish discipline, and put forward reform measures so that these incidents can be prevented. Yet there has been a vacuum for one year and eight months. The various inadequacies and lax discipline caused by this leadership void stem from the President not appointing a commissioner, which I believe constitutes a dereliction of duty.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Let us change the subject. You are the ranking member of the Public Administration and Security Committee, but you also serve as the Deputy Secretary-General for Organization.

[Kang Myung-koo] It has been nearly a year since I took on the role of Deputy Secretary-General for Organization.

[Kim Tae-hyun] You are serving on the Special Committee on Party Organization Strengthening, right?

[Kang Myung-koo] Yes.

[Kim Tae-hyun] That is why I ask. Yesterday, Representative Jang held a press conference marking his first anniversary in office, where he brought up the concept of the 'Party Member Sovereignty 2.0 Era.' It seems the intention is to become a party centered on members and strengthen party members' rights. What is the exact meaning of 'Party Member Sovereignty 2.0'?

[Kang Myung-koo] The Party Member Sovereignty 2.0 advocated by Representative Jang Dong-hyeok does not simply mean strengthening the rights of party members. Because the Lee Jae-myung administration is usurping public sovereignty and devastating the people's livelihoods and economy, the goal is to transform the opposition People Power Party into a party capable of fighting effectively—by gathering members' strength, building party capability, and fostering talented individuals who can fight properly.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Building party members' strength to fight properly.

[Kang Myung-koo] Shouldn't the party possess strength at all times? You can think of it as working to restore the sovereignty of the people, which is currently left unprotected. How can a party that cannot even win the hearts of its 1 million dues-paying party members win the hearts of 50 million citizens? He is arguing that we must move forward centered on our 1 million dues-paying members and progress toward becoming a party centered on the public. The media often portrays it as if there is a disagreement between the floor leader and the party representative, but restoring a party centered on members is the first step toward becoming a party centered on the general public. Both of them are saying the exact same thing.

[Kim Tae-hyun] So Representative Jang's party-member-centered approach and Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik's public-centered approach are not different ideas. It means starting with the party members first and then moving to the general public.

[Kang Myung-koo] Can we move toward a public-centered party if that preparation is not in place? If a party cannot win the hearts of 1 million dues-paying members, how can it win the hearts of 50 million citizens? I interpret it in that manner.

[Kim Tae-hyun] You mentioned 'talent capable of fighting properly.' Representative Jang has been emphasizing this recently. What are the meaning and criteria of talent who fight properly?

[Kang Myung-koo] It refers to whether one can fight against the government and the ruling party. In my view, it refers to the ability to offer sharp criticism, present clear alternatives, and build consensus and communicate with party members and the public. Lawmakers must study hard themselves, work with capable aides, and listen to the ideas of experienced party secretariat staff, but what matters above all is teamwork among lawmakers. It is looking at teamwork among lawmakers plus the aforementioned empathetic capacity to communicate with party members and citizens.

[Kim Tae-hyun] When you mention teamwork among lawmakers, does that imply excluding individuals who might cause internal party conflict?

[Kang Myung-koo] I will offer no comment on that. However, since becoming a lawmaker, I have come to believe that this is a time to fight against the misgovernance of the Lee Jae-myung administration rather than engaging in internal competition. This is not the time for us to fight among ourselves. The country feels as if it is on the verge of ruin. That is my concern.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Regarding the direct election system for local chapter chairs, as Deputy Secretary-General for Organization, this is your area of responsibility. Looking at what Representative Jang said yesterday: "My firm conviction remains unchanged that this direction is necessary and something that must be done. However, there are various concerns regarding timing and pace, and it is necessary to find reasonable standards by listening to and referencing opinions from many people." Does this mean he will push forward unconditionally, or does it mean stepping back to adjust the pace?

[Kang Myung-koo] I think this needs some explanation. There seems to be a slight misunderstanding regarding the direction of direct member elections for local chapter chairs. Some misunderstand this as an attempt to cut out specific factions and fill the positions with Jang Dong-hyeok loyalists.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.

[Kang Myung-koo] That is not the case; it is about returning power to party members and electing chapter chairs through democratic procedures. All lawmakers and non-parliamentary chapter chairs likely agree with that direction and purpose.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Yes.

[Kang Myung-koo] However, our senior lawmakers pointed out that now is not the right time. Currently, the party needs to unite its strength, and if we hold direct elections through competition, centrifugal forces from that rivalry could cause internal party discord. With the June 3 local elections only having concluded recently, this is a time to gather strength, and they questioned whether it was necessary to do this right now, pointing out issues with timing and specifics. Representative Jang accepted those concerns and decided to take a period for deliberation. That is how I understood it.

[Kim Tae-hyun] As Deputy Secretary-General for Organization, you would be handling the working-level operations.

[Kang Myung-koo] I have not received any specific instructions yet. The direction and intent itself are very good. Empowering members and choosing chapter chairs through democratic procedures works like this: chapter chairs are re-elected every two years, in even-numbered years. In the past, previous leadership would simply have appointed steering committee members choose candidates among themselves. The intent is to return this authority to party members, which is stipulated in the party constitution and regulations.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Since they said they are reviewing the timing and method, recent news reports suggested ideas such as excluding the Yeongnam region and applying it only to the capital area.

[Kang Myung-koo] No, no such plan has been put forward at all.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Has nothing been discussed at the working level?

[Kang Myung-koo] Rather than a question of who opposes or whom to persuade, the consensus is to gather collective wisdom under democratic leadership, seek the best approach, and take time for deliberation.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Representative, this will be the final question. A group of senior four-term lawmakers gathered and requested a meeting with Representative Jang, stating that winning the general election would be difficult under the current course. Do you think Representative Jang will accept this?

[Kang Myung-koo] He should naturally accept.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Really?

[Kang Myung-koo] Representative Jang Dong-hyeok must meet with senior lawmakers. He should meet them, listen to their advice, and hear what they have to say. That is what he should do, and I believe he will meet them.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. Representative Jang might hear some harsh criticism there.

[Kang Myung-koo] If you are in leadership, if you are the party leader, you must accept harsh criticism.

[Kim Tae-hyun] Understood. That concludes our time with Representative Kang Myung-koo today. Thank you very much, Representative Kang Myung-koo of the People Power Party.

[Kang Myung-koo] Thank you.

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※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.