Kim Taebong, Professor at Chonnam National University, Appointed as the First Autonomous Police Commissioner of Gwangju

Kim Taebong, the inaugural Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 20th that it has completed the appointment of members, including nominating Kim Taebong (66), a professor at Chonnam National University Law School, as the first Chairperson of the Autonomous Police Committee.

Professor Kim Taebong, a former military judge at the Army High Military Court, has a high understanding of the region and is regarded as a suitable candidate with secured "expertise and neutrality," having served in various roles such as ▲Member of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju ▲Founding and first head of the Gwangju YMCA Citizens' Rights Lawyers Group ▲Chairman of the Gwangju YMCA ▲Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Gwangju Bar Association ▲Policy Advisory Member of the National Human Rights Commission ▲Professor at Chonnam National University Law School.

The members of the Autonomous Police Committee include six recommended individuals: ▲Jung Youngpal, Director of the News Bureau at KBC Gwangju Broadcasting (recommended by the National Police Commission) ▲Shin Kwangsik, lawyer (recommended by the City Superintendent of Education) ▲Oh Jaeil, former professor of Public Administration at Chonnam National University, Oh Yunsu, former head of the Security Division at Gwangju Police Agency (recommended by the City Council) ▲Song Jihyun, lawyer and representative of the Women's Hotline, and Moon Gijeon, Secretary General of Gwangju YMCA (recommended by the Member Recommendation Committee).

The chairperson appointed by the mayor holds a Grade 2 political position, and standing members are appointed as Grade 3 political positions through the committee's recommendation and work full-time.

The Secretariat of the Autonomous Police Committee consists of 28 members in total, including 1 bureau, 2 divisions, and 6 teams (including 11 police dispatches), with office space provided on the 12th floor of City Hall.

Gwangju City has completed various qualification and disqualification checks for the total of seven members nominated and recommended for the Autonomous Police Committee and plans to appoint them on the 10th of next month.

Kim Ilyung, Director of the Autonomous Administration Bureau of the city, said, "Since the autonomous police system is established as a collegial independent institution, the appointment of the first Autonomous Police Committee focused on various factors such as expertise, political neutrality, gender balance, and human rights experts," adding, "We will actively support the autonomous police functions to operate timely and efficiently at the sites of citizens' lives where security is needed."

Meanwhile, the Gwangju Autonomous Police Committee will supervise and direct the Gwangju Police Agency Chief regarding affairs closely related to citizens' daily lives, such as public safety, women and youth, and traffic. The "Ordinance on the Organization and Operation of the Autonomous Police Affairs and the Autonomous Police Committee" is scheduled to be processed at the 297th extraordinary session in April.

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