National Investigation Headquarters Chief, External Appointment Likely to Realize Police Reform

Experienced Investigators or Special Recruitment Candidates
Retired Police Officers and Legal Experts Considered
Ensuring Investigation Independence Is the Biggest Challenge

Source: National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] With the establishment of the National Investigation Headquarters (Guksubon), modeled after the Korean version of the FBI, confirmed, attention is focused on the appointment of the inaugural headquarters chief. Guksubon will play a crucial role not only in commanding and supervising all police investigations but also in realizing genuine police reform. Especially as immense investigative authority is concentrated in the police due to adjustments in prosecution and police investigative rights and the transfer of counterintelligence investigative authority from the National Intelligence Service, the shoulders of the first headquarters chief have become even heavier.

The head of Guksubon will be appointed as a Police Commissioner General (Chi-an Jeonggam), a rank just below the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency. They will oversee investigative affairs of both national and autonomous police and have the authority to command and supervise all officials belonging to metropolitan/provincial police agencies, police stations, and investigative departments regarding investigative matters. In particular, with the principle of abolishing the National Police Agency chief’s direct investigative command, the head will effectively oversee all police investigations. They will also exercise personnel authority over investigators ranked Police Superintendent and below who conduct field investigations.

The headquarters chief can be selected from within the police or appointed from outside. Due to the symbolic nature of being the inaugural chief, appointing an external candidate is more likely than a police insider. Although the police have previously opened positions at the Senior Superintendent level (such as the National Police Agency’s Women’s Safety Planning Officer) to outsiders, the 'number two' position directly below the Commissioner General has never been opened to external candidates. An external appointment for the chief could signal the realization of police reform.

The qualifications for the chief are quite broad. Applicants can be Grade 3 or higher public officials with over 10 years of investigative experience, police officers of rank Senior Superintendent or above, legal professionals with over 10 years of experience, or academics in law or police studies with over 10 years in the field. After a public recruitment process by the National Police Agency, the final appointment is made by the President’s approval. Currently, those rumored as candidates, either self-nominated or nominated by others, are all senior police officers with extensive investigative experience or legal professionals who entered the police through special recruitment exams and later retired.

The most important task for the inaugural chief is securing the independence of police investigations. They must manage and supervise investigations to ensure professionalism and protection of human rights, breaking free from the shackles of various past investigative failures. Unlike autonomous police, Guksubon will be implemented immediately from January 1 next year without a pilot operation, so time is tight. The National Police Agency plans to begin the full-scale recruitment process for the chief starting next week, following the promulgation of the amended Police Act.

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