Half of Police Station Chiefs to Be Replaced... Growing Concerns Over Public Safety Gaps

[Anchor]

With the full implementation of a personnel system restricting police officials from working in their home regions to prevent regional ties, more than half of the frontline police station chiefs in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province have been replaced. Because the personnel reshuffle prioritized hometown origins over local familiarity, concerns are rising over potential public safety vacuums. Critics also point out that confusion will be inevitable as the new investigative system has yet to firmly take root.

Reporter Ahn Sang-hyuk from TBC.

[Reporter]

The Korean National Police Agency has carried out its senior superintendent reshuffle for the second half of 2026.

At the core is the restriction on hometown postings, a principle applied to limit service in one's home region in order to prevent regional collusion and corruption.

Immediately, 118 out of 242 police station chiefs nationwide—accounting for 49 percent—face having to pack their bags.

Among the 45 senior superintendents subject to personnel action in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, 26 were also replaced with those from other regions.

As the principle of excluding hometown origins takes precedence over local understanding and experience, concerns are emerging from within the police force that this will inevitably lead to security vacuums.

One police official noted that even experienced senior officers assigned to unfamiliar regions may struggle with quick situational judgment and response due to a lack of familiarity with local conditions, which could amplify confusion in the field.

The timing of the personnel appointments is also fueling concerns.

This comes as the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, which was launched earlier this month, is experiencing initial confusion due to staffing shortages and case transfer issues.

Experts point out that flexible personnel management is necessary to minimize confusion and maintain the continuity of local policing, especially at a time when cooperation and task coordination among investigative agencies are crucial.

[Park Dong-gyun / Professor of Police Administration, Daegu Hany University: It is important not to apply the regional restriction policy to public safety sectors that feature community-oriented public security characteristics—such as neighborhood safety, crime prevention, traffic control, and the protection of vulnerable social groups—and instead build a dense social safety net for public security.]

The regional restriction policy was introduced as a desperate measure to block corruption.

As this new personnel principle is put to the test, a considerable amount of apprehensive scrutiny surrounds the situation.

(Video Shooting: Noh Tae-hee / TBC, CG: Kim Se-yun / TBC)

Ahn Sang-hyuk, TBC
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.