KOR
▲ Police officers reciting the Police Charter
Procedures are getting underway to appoint a new leader for the police agency, which has been operating under an acting chief system for nearly two years following the December 3 emergency martial law.
The National Police Commission announced that it will hold a meeting at 1:30 PM today (Nov. 6) to review a motion for consent on recommending a candidate for National Police Agency Commissioner General.
According to the Act on the Organization and Management of National Police and Autonomous Police, the Commissioner General is appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Minister of the Interior and Safety with the consent of the National Police Commission, through the Prime Minister.
Prior to final appointment, the candidate must undergo a National Assembly confirmation hearing.
Key candidates being mentioned include Kim Jong-chul, Deputy Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency who is currently serving as the acting chief, Koh Bum-suk, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and Yoo Seung-ryol, head of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency.
Following the emergency martial law in December 2024, when then-Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho was urgently arrested on charges of participating in martial law and suspended from duties via impeachment, the police have seen three acting chiefs, starting with former Deputy Commissioners Lee Ho-young and Yoo Jae-sung, followed by the current Deputy Commissioner Kim.
The period during which the agency has operated without a regular chief entered its 23rd month this month.
With the implementation of the revised Criminal Procedure Act last month abolishing prosecutors' investigative powers and shifting the majority of investigations to the police, there have been ongoing calls for the urgent selection of a regular leader to stably guide the organization.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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