Pressure Mounts to Cancel Recommendation of Yongsan Disaster Responsible Person to Incheon Autonomous Police Committee

National Police Commission Recommends Former Incheon Chief Shin Du-ho
Yongsan Disaster Truth Commission and Police Human Rights Committee Oppose
"Undermines Legitimacy of Police Reform"
To Reconsider at Meeting on 19th

National Police Commission. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Controversy over qualifications is intensifying as it has been revealed that Shin Du-ho, former chief of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, who was recommended by the National Police Commission as a member of the Incheon City Autonomous Police Committee, was responsible for the suppression of the 2009 ‘Yongsan Tragedy.’ The National Police Commission plans to reconsider Shin’s recommendation.

A Police Agency official stated on the 13th, "The related agenda is scheduled to be discussed at the regular meeting of the National Police Commission on the 19th." Although the cancellation of Shin’s recommendation has not yet been finalized, considering the local community’s backlash, it seems likely that a new member will be recommended. Shin served as the head of the Mobile Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency during the 2008 mad cow disease candlelight protests and was the person in charge of the on-site suppression operation, including the deployment of the riot police, during the 2009 Yongsan Tragedy.

Earlier, when the National Police Commission recommended Shin as a member of the Incheon City Autonomous Police Committee, the Yongsan Tragedy Truth Investigation Committee issued a statement opposing the appointment, saying, "We oppose the appointment of Shin, who commanded the riot police unit that suppressed the scene at that time, as a member of Incheon’s autonomous police committee, which symbolizes police reform," and criticized it as "digging up the unhealed wounds of the victims and awarding a medal for deadly suppression." Incheon Mayor Park Nam-chun also rejected Shin’s appointment and demanded a replacement of the committee member.

The Police Agency Human Rights Committee also released a statement on the same day, urging the National Police Commission to withdraw Shin’s nomination, saying, "It not only violates the purpose of the autonomous police system but also undermines the legitimacy of police reform and nullifies the efforts made so far to reflect on and learn from past human rights violations by the police and to move toward a human rights-oriented police force."

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