Around 20 Former Police Officers Including Hwang Unha Aim for 'Geumbaeji' Seats, Largest Scale Yet

Seven of Eight Active 20s, Excluding Pyo Chang-won, to Run Again

Hwang Unha, Director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] With just two months left until the 21st National Assembly elections, a record number of candidates with police backgrounds are throwing their hats into the ring.

The most notable candidate is Hwang Unha, Director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute. Currently serving as a Police Commissioner, Director Hwang has registered as a preliminary candidate for the Democratic Party in Jung-gu, Daejeon, announcing his candidacy. Due to being indicted over allegations of 'Blue House ordered investigations,' he is unable to retire honorably and is campaigning while still in office, which is expected to spark controversy.

Former Police Chief Im Hoseon, who retired last December, declared his candidacy for the Democratic Party in the Chungbuk Jeungpyeong-Jincheon-Eumseong electoral district. Alongside Director Hwang, he was regarded as a leading advocate for investigative reform within the police. He is expected to face off against current Future United Party lawmaker Kyung Dae-su, who has a prosecutorial background.

Im Ho-seon, former Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency.

Additionally, former Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Won Kyunghwan is running in his hometown of Gangwon’s Taebaek-Hoengseong-Yeongwol-Pyeongchang-Jeongseon district, and former Daegu Metropolitan Police Chief Lee Sang-sik is contesting in Daegu Suseong-gu E, bringing the number of high-ranking police officials running as Democratic Party candidates to four.

On the opposition side, former Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Chief Jeong Yong-seon has registered as a preliminary candidate in Dangjin City, Chungnam; former Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Kim Yong-pan in Daegu Dalseo-byeong; and former Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Chief Seo Beom-su in Ulsan Ulju-gun.

Among the eight current 20th National Assembly members with police backgrounds, only Democratic Party lawmaker Pyo Chang-won has announced he will not run again. Future United Party lawmakers Kim Seok-ki, Kim Han-pyo, Yoon Jae-ok, Lee Man-hee, and Lee Cheol-gyu, along with Bareunmirae Party lawmakers Kwon Eun-hee and Lee Dong-seop, are all aiming to enter the 21st National Assembly once more.

The number of police officers running for legislative seats is steadily increasing. In the 2016 20th general election, 14 police officers ran, with eight (including one proportional representative) winning seats. This year, around 20 police-background candidates are expected to run. Police officers are considered strong candidates due to their experience managing community policing departments and extensive civilian interaction and connections. There is also interest in what kind of voices police-background lawmakers will raise in the National Assembly regarding legal revisions and police reforms following the adjustment of investigative authority.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.